Lucky
by Resacon1990
Summary: Paul has never been lucky, but maybe a forced partnership with Dawn can change that?
1. Chapter 1

**Well Hey guys! Howsit going? This is my first attempt at writing a story with chapters so please don't hate me :) The first few chapters will probably be short and there might be some OOCness in it :/ Just thought I'd warn you now!**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Pokemon or any of it's characters! Even if I wanted to!**

**Right so this is a Ikarishipping (Paul/Shinji and Dawn/Hikari)! I love them so much!**

**It would be great to get reviews seen as this is new to me! Anyways, enough talking! Hope you like the story :D**

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"ASH KETCHUM! WHERE DID YOU PUT MY CONTEST DRESS!" Dawn Berlitz screamed as she ripped the contents out of her yellow backpack, throwing them everywhere. Brock Stone caught two flying pokeballs before they smashed into his face.

Carefully, he placed them on the ground before addressing Dawn,

"Calm down Dawn, I'm sure its there somewhere!" Dawn gave him a death glare and snatched up her bag. She held it upside down and when nothing came out, she threw it at the ground, giving a scream of frustration. Slowly, she advanced on a terrified Ash.

"Where," she took a step forward "Did. You. Put. It. Ketchum." She hissed. Ash took a step back rubbing his neck.

"Well… you see Dawn, Brock here…" Brock shook his head.

"Oh hell no! You are not dragging me into this one!" Ash glared at him before turning back to the enraged bluenette.

"Um… well… it was a emergency and um…" Dawn's eye twitched, her hands balled into fists.

"Continue…" she snapped. Ash had sweat dripping down his forehead as he backed away, franticly looking for something to distract her.

"And um…" he looked behind her for a brief second, "Hey look! Its Paul!" he called out happily, thankful for the distraction. Dawn's eyes widened and she flew around.

"P-Paul…?" sure enough the purple-haired man was making his way over to them. His face twisted up in disgust and a pink frilly object clenched in his hand.

"I'm guessing this is yours," he snarled, throwing the object at Dawn. It smacked into her face and she let out a small yelp of surprise. Prying it off, Dawn recognized it as her contest dress.

"There it is!" Ash laughed, "Now if you don't mind! Pikachu and I are going to get something to eat!" he turned to walk away but was stopped as Brock grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Not until you explain what that red mark is." he snapped, pointing at the dress. A confused Dawn frowned and looked for the said mark, only to see it sprawled right across the front of her dress.

"This looks like ketchup…" she muttered.

"Well, um… Dawn you see Pikachu spilt a bottle and I needed to clean it up and…"

"You used my contest dress to clean up ketchup?" Dawn asked, her voice rather calm. Brock swallowed hard.

"Hey Paul." He called out, "Do me a favor and grab Dawn for me." Paul glared at the breeder, and opened his mouth, clearly about to ask why. Unfortunately an inhuman scream cut him off.

Dawn lunged for Ash, a scream ripping from her throat and hands ready to strangle him, just as the boy let loose a squeal and sprinted behind Brock. Paul, finally seeing as to why Brock had asked him to grab Dawn, leapt forward and threw his arms around her waist.

"LET ME GO!" she screamed, slapping his arms and trying to stomp on his feet.

"NOT UNTIL YOU SHUT UP AND CALM DOWN!" Paul shouted back.

"THAT BASTARD USED MY DRESS AS A RAG! I'M NOT GOING TO CALM DOWN!" she screeched, waving the dress clenched in her hand, in the air.

"ITS JUST A STUPID DRESS!" Ash yelled at her, pecking out from behind Brock, who facepalmed at Ash's stupid statement.

"JUST A STUPID DRESS!" She yelled, "I HAVE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTEST'S IN MY LIFE COMING UP AND YOU GO AHEAD AND RUIN MY LUCKY DRESS! IT WAS A GIFT FROM MY MUM YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!"

"JUST GET ANOTHER ONE!" Ash yelled back.

"I CAN'T GET ANOTHER ONE LIKE THAT!" she screamed, really trying to break out of Paul's grip. "YOU STUPID JERK! LET ME GO PAUL!"

"No." was all he said, his voice cold.

Dawn struggled viciously against Paul, but he had an iron tight grip and refused to let go. Signing in defeat, she slumped in his arms.

"I hate you Ash Ketchum. You're the worst traveling partner EVER!" she huffed and crossed her arms. "I bet even Paul is better than you!"

A knowing smirk came onto Brock's face. Leaning down, he started whispering quickly into Ash's ear and a smirk came on Ash's face.

"Sorry Paul." Dawn mumbled to him, as she waited for the two idiots in front of her to stop gossiping. He gave her a 'hmph' before letting go of her and shoving his hands in his pockets. He was just turning to leave when Brock finally spoke up.

"We'll take you up on that bet Dawn! You have to travel with Paul!"


	2. Chapter 2

"WHAT!" Dawn yelled. Ash flicked them a smirk. Paul turned slowly to face the grinning retard.

"Yep! All the way to Veilstooooone!" Ash laughed. "Bet you can't do it."

Paul, ready to beat Ash in just about everything, stupidly jumped forward and held out his hand.

"Your on." Behind him he heard Dawn begin yelling again and in front of him saw Brocks knowing smirk. Ash laughed heartily, and just about wrenched Paul's arms out of its socket.

"Good Luck Paul." Ash said sarcastically, glancing at the screaming Dawn. "Your gonna need it." Paul looked at Dawn as well and sweat dropped. Ash laughed at the look on the trainers face before grabbing Brock's arm and yanking him away.

"KETCHUM! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!" Dawn screamed, chasing him down the road. Brock grinned.

"At least Paul's with you!" he yelled back. Quickly, the two locked into a sprint and raced away.

"COME BACK!" Dawn screamed at the top of her lungs. "THIS ISN'T FAIR! I WANT A SAY!"

"SHUT UP!" she heard Paul suddenly roar. Dawn turned to look at him, surprise on her face.

"Excuse me?" she asked. He rolled his eyes at her and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"If we're going to travel together you need to learn to shut. The. Hell. UP" he snapped.

"Well excuse me your rudeness!" she hissed back, hand on her hips. "If we're gonna travel together you have to realize that I'm. Not. Going. To. Shut. Up!"

"Your rudeness?" Paul asked, a smirk on his face. "That the best you can up with. You're losing your touch Troublesome."

"SHUT UP PAUL! At least I'm not a stuck up GRAPE head!"

Paul's eyebrows shot up, "Grape head? Why that's a new one. Congratulations on insulting me like a five year-old!" he cheered sarcastically.

Dawn glared at the eighteen year-old. "I hate you."

He rolled his eyes again. "Don't care. Lets go."

"Wait! We obviously don't want to travel together. So why don't we just split up and meet outside Veilstone city?"

He shot her a nasty glare. "One" he snapped, holding up one finger "Ketchum obviously doesn't think we can travel together, I plan on proving him wrong and Two," he held up a second finger "have you EVER traveled to Veilstone by yourself?"

When she shook her head he smirked.

"You see, this road" he gestured behind him at the long deserted road "is FULL of POWERFUL pokemon that could KILL you with a single swipe. Your weaklings that you call pokemon couldn't handle two seconds in battle with one."

Dawn was quiet for a moment before a bright smile appeared on her face.

"And you just want to travel with me don't you Paul!" she giggled. Paul groaned and had the sudden need to smash his head repeatedly against a wall.

"No. I just don't want Ketchum to blame me for your death for the next ten years." He snapped. Another grin jumped on her face.

"So you plan on knowing us for the next ten years then?" she asked.

Make that a brick wall with thousands of spikes on it.

"Just move." He hissed, walking towards the nearby forest.

"WAIT!" she called again. Groaning he turned to face her.

"What?"

"Why are we going through the forest? I mean there is another way right? And anyway, just cause there is powerful pokemon on the road doesn't mean we can't walk down it! We could get lucky!" She said, her tone clearly voicing the fact that she thought he was idiot.

"I don't believe in luck. The forest is safer than the road. And I don't plan on getting challenged by some newbie ten year old with a Chimchar." He snarled, really starting to get annoyed.

"Fine then!" she snapped right back. Turning around he began to walk away again when…

"WAIT!"

"WHAT IS IT NOW?" Paul just about screamed, his eye twitching as he swung around to glare at her. She smiled and rocked back in forth on her heels.

"I need to get a new contest dress." She giggled. Paul's face paled.

"Does this mean…"

"Shopping time!" Dawn cried out, clapping her hands happily together.

Paul really wanted that wall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Woo! Updating again! :D! Thanks guys for the reviews and Story Alerts! Makes me feel all warm and Fuzzy on the inside XD!**

**Now just so you know, I have nothing against gays ok! I have gay friends so please don't take some of this chapter the wrong way!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon! If I did Paul and Dawn would be traveling together by now :)**

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He felt gay.

Seriously gay.

He felt as gay as a handbag full of rainbows.

So many frills.

So many ruffles.

So many sparkles.

SO MUCH PINK!

Paul felt like screaming. He wanted to get out of this shop.

It was the perfect shop for someone like his brother. Yes, his brother. The brother who decided that after he failed in ONE pokemon battle that he would turn into a house 'wife'. Yes, a house WIFE.

"So, Paul. Pink one or the green one?" Dawn asked, shoving two dresses in his face.

"There both pink…" he muttered. She glared at him and he wasn't surprised when she smacked him on the head.

"No! One's pink and one's green!" Paul looked at the 'green' one.

"Its pink. With a green slash on it. Tell me how the hell it's a green dress!" He demanded. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Just pick which one you like better."

Paul looked them over, a small frown on his face before he shook his head.

"Neither."

"WHAT!" Dawn cried, she shook them in his face. "They're the best range of contest dresses Paul!"

"That's what you think Troublesome."

"THAT'S WHAT I KNOW! AND I HAVE A NAME!" she screeched.

"Excuse me miss, you going to have to be a bit quieter or you need to leave." A sales clerk called out. Dawn shot her a nasty glare before turning back to Paul.

"These are the best ones Paul! I know that for a fact! Which one do you like better?"

"Like I said, neither." He sneered.

"Why not!" she snarled. He rolled his eyes before snatching the 'green one' from her.

"This one is too bright, lacey and just way to over done. Not an outfit you want to wear for a contest. And that one?" he muttered pointing to the pink one still in her hands. "That one has to many sequins on it. To busy and shiny."

Dawn's mouth fell open. "How do you know so much about dresses? I mean…"

"Never mind about that." He interrupted, very flustered. Dawn frowned at him.

"Are you gay Paul?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

"NO!" he shouted, earning a glare from the sales clerk from earlier. Deciding to leave it for now, Dawn grinned and shook the pink dress she was holding.

"They make me look pretty right Paul? So I stand out!" she giggled. Paul groaned and resisted the urge to face palm.

"Troublesome, how long have you been doing contest for?" he asked, taking the dress off of her and placing them both on the chair he had originally been sitting in.

"Um… about five years I think? I was thirteen when I started, you were fourteen…" she sucked on her bottom lip as she watched him turn to face her.

"You remember me from back then?" he frowned curiously as he gently grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards an isle.

"Yup! Paul, we've been running into you for the past five years! I think that you could classify as a friend now!" she giggled, flicking him a happy smile. He froze and turned to face her, an angry look on his face.

"We're not friends." He snapped. "I don't need a friend like you."

Dawn's mouth dropped open. "Like me? What do you mean?"

"I don't need a stupid weakling of a friend who co-ordinates. I hate co-coordinators." He hissed. Trying to ignore the hurt on her face, he stared at the dresses before yanking one off the rack and giving it to her.

"It black, Paul." She said, distaste on her face. "Black."

"Try it on." He snapped. She glared at him.

"But it's to plain! I won't stand out!"

"What do you think the point of a contest is Troublesome? **You're** not supposed to stand out, your pokemon is. A contest is about the beauty of a pokemon in its appeals and its battles." He shoved her in the direction of the changing rooms. "Its not a modeling contest."

Sighing in defeat, Dawn stumbled into the changing rooms just to have Paul slam the door while her ass was still sticking out. She let out a small yelp and rubbed it while poking her tongue out childishly at the door.

"I'll be over by the accessories." Paul called to her.

"Kay!" Dawn chirped back. She yanked off all her clothes and slipped on the dress, twirling around in front of the mirror.

She had to admit, it looked stunning on her. A simple strapless black dress that came halfway down her thighs. It clung to her, showing off her curves nicely before flowing out from her waist.

Smiling, Dawn opened he door and raced across the shop to where Paul was standing, the tortured look that had been on his face since they first entered the shop was still there.

"Paul!" she called, he turned his head to look at her. "What do you think?" she halted in front of him and did a quick twirl. He just nodded.

"Turn around." He ordered, with a pout on her face she complied. Dawn was shocked when she felt his hands almost caressing her waist.

"P-Paul…" she stuttered. His hands disappeared and a sharp tug made her stumble forward. Paul then gently shoved her in front of a full-length mirror.

"There." He said. Dawn noticed a big purple slash on the front of the dress around her waist and turning around, she saw it was a bow. They looked amazing together.

"Wow Paul! You have tas…" she stopped when a pair of black shoes with little purple bows were shoved in her face, along with a purple and black ribbon that could be used as a hair band or hair tie.

"Wear those as well." Paul snapped. "I'll be waiting just outside." He turned on his heel and stormed out of the shop, grabbing both their bags on the way.

Turning back to the mirror, Dawn slipped on the shoes and, tied her hair up with the ribbon, making a small bow out of it. She looked gorgeous. Not so much that she would steal the attention from her pokemon but so much she would stand out.

"You look amazing. Your boyfriend has good taste." Came an unfamiliar voice. Looking around, Dawn saw a little old lady who worked at the shop standing beside her smiling. Dawn grinned.

"You think so?" she asked, twirling around. The comment about Paul being her boyfriend going unregistered.

"I know so!" she laughed. "Would you like to buy what you're wearing?"

Dawn glanced over the outfit one last time, did another twirl and with a huge grin, nodded before disappearing into the dressing room.


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn hummed a tune as she happily skipped after a sulking Paul. He was still upset over the fact she had forced him to go shopping with her.

"You know Paul, you could've just waited out here for me!" she called grinning at him. An eyebrow shot up as he stared at her.

"Wait outside, bored for two or three hours? I think I'll pass."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I didn't take that long."

"You took an hour to pick out the two **most ugliest **dresses in the history of clothes!" he snarled. Dawn glared at him and stuck her nose up in the air.

"Whatever Paul. Lets go." She started towards the forest but promptly tripped and fell over, scrapping her elbow on the rocky ground.

"Idiot." Paul muttered walking past. When he heard a whimper though he turned around to see her sitting up holding her elbow, tears welling in her eyes.

"It h-hurts Paul…" she cried. Groaning, he trudged back over.

"Its just a scratch." He muttered. She pouted and her bottom lip wobbled.

"Kiss it better?" she asked, raising her arm, her eyes wide and innocent.

His eyebrow shot up. "In your dreams." He sneered, slapping her arm away. "Now hurry up. I want to get into the forest before nightfall."

Dawn glared at him and jumped to her feet.

"Jerk." She hissed and went to smack him over the head. He caught her arm and kept a tight grip on it.

"Don't even think to touch me. Ever."

Dawn swallowed. Paul normally sounded angry, but this was a whole new angry. An angry that made her want to tremble in her boots.

"Sorry…" she mumbled. He nodded sharply and threw her arm down, causing it to smack against her thigh. Turning on his heel, he trudged away and after a moment, Dawn raced after him.

…

"Are we there yet?" Dawn moaned, dragging her feet.

"For the hundredth time! NO!" Paul yelled.

"Jeez…" Dawn said, holding up her hands. "Calm down!"

"Then shut up!" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

"I'm not the one yelling!" she argued back, her arms crossed as she stalked after the fuming Paul.

"Seriously, shut up Troublesome." He muttered. She grinned and skipped up to walk beside him, making sure to lift her feet so as not to trip.

"How far away are we?" she asked softly. He stopped suddenly and turned to face her. Dawn watched as he looked up, tossing his head so his bangs wouldn't get in his eyes.

"Five days away." He snapped. "Anymore questions?"

"F-five days?" she spluttered "What?"

"Yes idiot. Five days."

" B-but Ash and Brock said they'd be there by late evening tomorrow!"

"Use you brain. They have probably taken the train."

"THERE WAS A TRAIN?" She screeched. Paul covered his ears and moved away from her.

"I told you to shut up!"

"WHY DIDN'T WE GO ON THE TRAIN?" she demanded. Paul glared at her before turning on his heel and walking away.

"Paul! Please answer me! Why are we going through the forest?" she asked, trying to keep the anger in her voice hidden.

"Because."

"Because why?"

Paul turned and glared at her. "Because I said so."

"Hey-"

"SHUT UP!" he roared. "I used to think it was you who had to put up with Ketchum but now I'm beginning to think it's the opposite way around!"

Dawns mouth dropped open and tears almost welled up in her eyes. She knew she was over-reacting but she had to admit.

That hurt!

Paul looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "Pathetic…" he muttered.

Dawn watched him walk away without her before moving to sit down on a nearby log to watch the sunset through the trees.

Traveling with Paul was going be hard going. But she was going to do it.

"Maybe if I have a goal I can get through it easier?" she mumbled to herself. Leaning down, she picked up a twig and threaded in through her fingers as she thought to herself.

Maybe she could try and get Paul to be less angry? But how could you do that? He seems to tightly curled up in a ball of anger that you can't even talk to him or he'll go nuts at you.

Dawn suddenly clicked her fingers as an idea sprung to mind.

"Maybe he's holding something in? Like a deep dark secret that eating him from the inside!" Dawn paused for a moment. "I'll find out the true Paul!"

She threw her fist up in a victory punch and a small cry came out of her mouth. Only to be greeted by silence and the awkward chirp of a starly.

"Oh whatever!" Dawn snapped at the pokemon before turning on her heel and storming off in the direction Paul had gone.


	5. Chapter 5

The only noise was the crackling of the fire that was in the middle of the clearing and the heavy breathing of Paul's Torterra.

Dawn looked up from the flames to glance at the purple-haired trainer cross from her.

Paul's onyx eyes looked like deep pits with flames flickering in them from the fire. His eyebrows where scrunched up in a frown as he lent against a log with one leg bent, his arms wrapped around it while the other leg was curled underneath his thigh.

Behind him, his Torterra lay with its head perched on the log, staring along with its trainer into the flames.

It was a bit to quiet for Dawn's taste and she really needed to do something.

"Paul?" she called out. Slowly he raised his head to look at her.

"What." He snarled. Dawn flinched. It wasn't a question, more like a statement that clearly stated 'I'm still pissed off at you so I suggest you shut up and don't talk to me.'

"What's your last name?" she asked, a little bit worried as to what his reaction was going to be.

"Why do you care? More importantly why should I tell you?" he growled, turning back to the fire. "I thought you knew anyway."

Dawn swallowed. "Well I kinda forgot." She mumbled forcing a small smile. He sighed and snuggled down so he was slouching.

"Lopez…" he muttered. Dawn looked at him, confused.

"What?"

"My last name." he snapped. Dawn's mouth opened.

"Your last name is Lopez? Paul Lopez?"

Paul snorted. "Actually its Hayden-Lopez. When Mum and Dad got married, Mum asked Dad to take her surname. He agreed on the condition we could hyphenate his in."

Dawn nodded slowly, letting it sink in. "So your Paul Hayden-Lopez?"

"Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez." He corrected. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Jeez, your parents like long names don't they! What's Reggie's then?"

"Reggie Chaarn Hayden-Lopez." He said softly. Dawn was a bit surprised to hear his voice not full of anger, more like sadness.

"Is there a reason for it being Chaarn?" She asked cautiously. Paul nodded but didn't speak.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she pressed, leaning forward on the log she was sitting on. Paul shook his head.

"No. Just stay out of it. Its none of your business." He glanced up at her, his face a hard cold mask again. Dawn sighed. And she had been that close! That freaking close to getting him to open up.

Leaning down, she reached for her bag, planning to get ready for bed, only to knock it over and spill all its contents.

"Damn it" she muttered dropping to her knees and shoving it all back in roughly, keeping her PJs and sleeping bag out.

She frowned when she got to a pokeball. She thought that after she had fed her pokemon she had placed then in the front pouch of her back. Turning it over, Dawn spotted a sticker of three bubbles on the top and she couldn't stop the swear word coming out of her mouth.

Piplup! How had she forgotten to feed her darling penguin pokemon! Dawn plopped the pokeball on top of her PJs and dug into her bag for Piplup's food. When she found it she placed it on the ground beside the pokeball and scooped up her clothes.

"Be right back Paul!" she chirped happily, a smile on her face. It slipped off though when Paul didn't even acknowledge her. Sighing she wandered off behind a tree to change and ready herself for bed.

…

"Piplup! Spotlight!" Dawn cried out. The little penguin flew out of his pokeball, chirping its name and raced towards the food Dawn had set out for him.

Dawn giggled to herself as she watched the pokemon devoured his food. She didn't see the small sad smile that crossed Paul's face as he too watched the pokemon. Torterra nudged Paul's shoulder; a look of concern on its face and Paul patted the giant turtle like pokemon.

"Pip pip piplup!" Piplup happily cried, poke-food all over its beck. Dawn laughed.

"You silly billy!" she sniggered, wiping the food away with a cloth. Piplup cried its name again and watched Dawn clear the leftovers away. Turning his head around, Piplup spotted Paul.

"Piplup lup!" he cried and began walking over to the trainer. Dawn, spotting the penguin moving, paled.

"Piplup, come back!" she called, worried as to what Paul would do. She winced then gasped when Piplup tripped and went flying into Paul.

"Oh my gosh! Paul I'm so sorry, I-"

"Whoa there little guy!" Paul exclaimed as the pokemon tumbled into his arms.

"Piplup Pip Piplup!" Piplup chirped and snuggled into Paul's chest. Paul smiled a little bit but seeing Dawn staring at him, he frowned.

"Get your pokemon off me." He snarled at her.

"Sorry sorry!" she flustered racing over and pulling the pokemon away. Piplup fought her though and as soon as his feet hit the ground he raced over to sit beside Torterra who instantly struck up a conversation.

Frowning, Dawn turned to look at Paul. His eyes opened wide at seeing the questions forming on her lips, and he quickly climbed into his black sleeping bag beside him.

Dawn sighed and decided that instead of staying up just to watch the pokemon chatting and Paul ignoring her, she might as well go to sleep. Walking lightly back over to her bubble pink sleeping bag, she glanced once more at Paul before slipping into it.

"What was that all about?" she muttered before closing her eyes and trying to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Wooo! Hey guys! Thanks for all the subscriptions! I'm very happy XD!**

**Um sorry if Dawn or Paul have been OCC, I find it a bit hard to write about a lunatic whos not that loony and a depressed emo (Jokes!) whos not that depressed! Confusing?**

**This is quite a short chapter (Pfft cause the other ones aren't) but its like a fill in! Anyways! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon!**

**Me: :'(**

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She refused to open her eyes.

Oh hell no! With the sun so bright that it was already burning her eyes through her lids, what would it do to her eyes when they were blurry and sleepy?

Sighing to herself, Dawn knew she had to get up. It was late morning already and Paul would probably get up and leave without her soon.

Wait… PAUL?

Dawns eyes flew open as she remembered who she was traveling with.

"MY EYES!" she screamed as the sun instantly attacked them. "OH MY GOD!" she tried yanking the sleeping bag over her face and when that didn't work she grabbed her pillow, causing her head to smack violently on the ground.

A sniggering from across the clearing made her look up to see Paul, Piplup and Torterra staring at her, smirks on their faces.

"I hate mornings." Dawn groaned, covering her face with the pillow again.

"Good morning to you too!" Paul called sarcastically. Dawn groaned again.

"Shut up Paul." She snapped and threw the pillow at him. He chuckled again and caught the pillow.

"Time to get up. We leave in twenty minutes."

Dawn instantly sat up again. "WHAT? Ooh…." She clutched her head as little black spots floated in front of her eyes. Paul rolled his eyes and walked over, shoving a plate under her nose.

"Eat up, get dressed. Solaceon Town is just a days walk from here. If we get moving now, we should get there just as the sunsets."

"Whats the time now?"

"About seven o'clock."

Dawns eyes widened. "AND ITS THIS BRIGHT?"

"Shut up Troublesome! Can we try for a day without you acting like a two year-old?"

"I'm not acting like a two year-old!"

"You are."

"I'm not!"

"Whatever. Just hurry up." He snapped before moving away and returning both the pokemon into their balls.

"Wait, Paul. How did you get Piplups ball? It was at the bottom of my bag." Dawn asked as she devoured the toast Paul had given her, a small blush on her cheeks as she thought of what pieces of clothing Paul might have touched.

Paul glared at her. "Actually, it was right beside your bag moron." He placed the ball down beside her before sitting down on 'his' log.

Sighing, Dawn finished up and once again disappeared behind the tree to get back into her normal clothes.

When she came back, Dawn was surprised to see Paul standing with his bag slung over his back and hers being held out, everything already packed in it.

"Thanks Paul!" Dawn giggled, shoving her clothes away. "You must be in a real hurry!"

"Hn" he grunted, turning around and beginning to walk. Dawn cheerfully raced up and walked beside him.

"Sooooo… we're gonna stay in a Pokemon centre tonight?" she asked holding her own hands behind her back. He just gave a sharp nod in reply.

"So that means I get a hot bath…" she asked again. He just nodded again. Dawn pouted before an evil grin came on her face. She wanted a reaction out of Paul, and she was going to get one.

"I've always like the feel of hot water on my naked body, Paul." She chirped, "Its always nice and refreshing, makes me tingle inside! I'm sure when your naked you like it too!" she giggled happily, flicking his nose.

Paul felt his neck heat up and… was that a small blush? Appeared on his face. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to reply but thought better and just walked faster.

Dawn smiled at the blush on his face, he looked super cute with it! How was she going to get Paul to talk though?

"Hey Paul! Can I ask you some questions?" she chirped. Paul raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her. She was poking her tongue out in concentration as her hand disappeared into her bag.

"Like?" he mumbled bitterly. Her face broke out into a grin and she yanked out a little black notebook with a pen.

"Like your favourite stuff!" she cried, shoving the book in his face. "And your family! And your pokemon!"

"No." Paul growled. Dawn pouted.

"No? Why not! Time will go by faster!"

"For you." He snapped, rolling his eyes. Dawn raised an eyebrow and waved the pen in his face.

"Tsk Tsk Paul. No need for that attitude young man." She told off, playfully. Paul pushed past her.

"If it'll make you shut up then fine. Just keep up."

"Yays!" Dawn cried out, a huge grin on her face and bright gleam in her eye.


	7. Chapter 7

**Jeez! I haven't updated in a while! Stupid school decided to give me lots of homework XD! **

**Now, I've had writers block so this chapter kinda sucks :/ and seems a bit rushed so sorry about that. Also a little bit OOC so again sorry.**

**Anyway! Hope you like this chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon!**

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"Favourite colour?" Dawn asked, her nose scrunched up as she poised her pen on the paper, ready to write the answer down.

"You asked me that three hours ago!" a traumatized Paul cried. "Are you running out of questions or are you just too stupid to realize you've already said them?"

"I'll take that as pink!" Dawn squealed, about to scribble it down.

"What? NO!" Paul snarled. He stopped walking to turn around and yank the book off her, reading what she had written.

"For one thing Troublesome, Its indigo not pink. AND SINCE WHEN HAS MY FAVOURITE POKEMON BEEN A DANCING CHIMCHAR IN A TUTU?" he yelled, his face turning slightly red and twisted in anger.

"Well it's better than a Torterra dancing in a tutu." Dawn huffed, crossing her arms. Paul sweat dropped, turning his head back to the book.

"Wait Paul! Don't read that…"

"MY FAVOURITE DRINK IS NOT A STRAWBEERY PINK MILKSHAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND SPRINKLES ON TOP!" He screeched. Dawn shrugged.

"I told you not to read it but noooo!" she muttered throwing her hands up. Seeing that Paul had gone quiet again, Dawn reached out slowly to pull the book out from in front of him, only to see what page he was on.

"Oh no…" she cried, throwing her hands over her ears just in time for…

"A G-STRING! SINCE WHEN HAVE I WORN A G-STRING!" Paul screamed at the top of his lungs, " A PINK ONE WITH FRILLS AND RIBBONS ON IT TOO?"

"Paul. Calm down."

"AND YOU DREW A PICTURE?"

"I was bored ok!"

"THAT'S SLIGHTLY STALKERISH AND INCREDIBLY DISTURBING!" he looked at her, his eyes wide. "Why… why would you do this…?"

Dawn huffed. "Well I wouldn't have if I knew this was going to be your stupid reaction!"

"Your… Troublesome! That's all I can say." He muttered, throwing the book back at her and sitting heavily on the ground.

"Oh cheer up Paul. I had to amuse myself some how and face it." She patted him lightly on the back, ignoring it when he viciously smacked her hand away. "Your answers were boring!"

"Just… just shut up. Let me sleep." He muttered, lying down with a groan.

"WHAT! We woke up…"

"About eight hours ago."

"Exactly! Why are you tired?"

"Because I am!"

"Whatever. Bet you're just snotty!"

"…" There was no reply from the purple haired trainer. Sighing, Dawn took a seat beside him, beginning to move stuff around in her bag to make room for the book.

"How far from the town are we Paul? We've been walking for hours!"

"…" Once again there was no reply. Dawn took a deep breath and tried ignoring the anger bubbling up inside of her.

"Really? You're going to give me the silent treatment now?" she snapped. When he didn't reply, Dawn let out a very deep breath.

"You know. So what if you don't talk to me? It's not like its anything new! You've ignored me for the past five years so what's today gonna matter? EXCEPT FOR THE FACT WE'RE TRAVELLING TOGETHER!" She began to violently shove all her stuff back in her bag. "You have to talk to me! I mean what if I fall over and smash my head! You might think I'm joking around and ignore me while I'm slowly dying behind you! HOW WOULD YOU FEEL THEN?"

"…"

"Of course. You wouldn't even care would you!"

"…"

"Oh and you call me pathetic? Who's the one being pathetic by overacting?" Dawn zipped up her bag a bit to forcefully. "Stupid Jerk! It was a innocent comment so there is no need to get all…"

"DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"…bitchy about it…" Dawn finished slowly. Turning to look at Paul she saw that sometime in the past few minutes he'd curled up and fallen asleep beside her.

"P-Paul…?" she stuttered, shaking his shoulder. Dawn watched as his hands balled into fists.

"Please… don't leave…" he mumbled and Dawn swore she saw small tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.

"Paul. Paul wake up!" Dawn cried, grabbing his shoulders furiously. She shook him, trying to convince him to open his eyes

"Paul come on! Wake up!"

"Comeback! Don't go! I don't want you to go!" Paul cried out. Dawn was scared. This wasn't right. What the hell was going on?

"STOP!" he suddenly screamed, sitting bolt up right. Dawn, who had been crouching beside him, got a shock and fell flat on her ass.

"Oww… what the hell Paul!" she snapped. He glanced at her, his eyes wide.

"What do you mean 'What the hell'?" he snarled, climbing to his feet and shouldering his backpack. Dawn got up too.

"Sit back down Paul! You have some explaining to do!"

His gaze was acid as it turned on her. "I asked you a question."

"You where screaming, yes SCREAMING, Don't go and don't leave! What was that about?" she snorted.

Paul face paled instantly. "I didn't."

"Yes you did Paul! What's going on?" she asked, stepping into his face.

"Back off."

"Tell me what's going on." Dawn retorted. She was surprised when Paul shoved her away from him, causing her to once again fall on her ass.

"It's none of you business." He hissed. Turning on his heel he stormed off.

"PAUL! WAIT! WHAT ABOUT ME!" Dawn cried as she chased after him. Paul suddenly stopped and she crashed into his back.

"Head to the town. Get us rooms. I'll meet you there later." Paul replied, beginning to walk off again.

"Where are you going?" Dawn asked, taking a step his way.

"Just go." Hearing the tremor of anger and… pain? In his voice, a worried Dawn, quickly obeyed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Sorry about the last chapter. It was lame and dumb but hopefully this one will be better! Just incase it still confuses you, it'll all be explained in the next few chapters!**

**Disclaimer: Well Pauls not running around with Torterra in a tutu so I'm guessing I don't own Pokemon XD!**

**Anyway, enjoy. And thanks sooooo much for the reviews! Sorry I don't reply to them :/ I can if you want me too!**

* * *

"Stupid Dawn Stupid stupid troublesome girl."

He threaded his hand through his plum hair, grabbing clumps of it as he talked to the person on the other end of the cellphone.

"Why! Why her? Why me?"

"_Because she makes you want to be different."_

"Oh shut up."

Stomping further into the forest, Paul Lopez avoided fall over the tree branches, trying to ignore his brother, Reggie, on the phone.

"_Telling me to shut up is like telling a Snorlax to stop sleeping, moron."_

"Seriously? Do you like to spend your days tormenting me? Do you want me to rip my eyes out or something?"

"_Grow up Paul"_

"Bite me."

"_I said grow up."_

Groaning, he flopped down on the ground and rested his back up against a tree.

"I had the dream again."

"_Wait wait. THE dream?"_

"Yeah."

"_Oh Paul. You alright?"_

"I'm fine. Just a bit shaken."

"_Do… do you think Dawn has anything to do with it? I mean she is a lot like mum…"_

"Maybe. I dunno."

"_You don't know?"_

"I've only known her for…"

"_Five years." _Reggie interrupted.

"Oh shut up Reggie! I may have known her for five years but I mean, this is the second day I've actually talked to her."

"_Liar."_

"Am not!"

"_Liaaaar! Admit it Paul. You soooo are! You've talked to her so many other times. For crying out loud you where friends when you where little!"_

"That was for a week. She doesn't even remember me. I was just the little boy who was staying in a nearby hotel with no friends in Twinleaf. Get over it."

"_Still…"_

"Go away."

"_Paul, Just accept that she's changing you. She has been for years. Just admit it to yourself."_

"Goodbye Reggie."

"_DON'T YOU DARE HANG UP ON M…" _Paul snapped the phone shut and threw it unceremoniously into his bag. Turning his head up to look through the gaps in the trees where the blue sky was, Paul took in a deep breath and let it out,

She was different, Dawn, and she was making him different as well. Was that a good thing? Or a bad thing?

"That dream…" he groaned and held his head in his hands, he hadn't had that dream in well over five years. The last time the two of them actually talked.

Was it Dawn who triggered the dreams? It seemed to be. Maybe he should tell her more about his past…

"No." Paul told himself firmly, "She doesn't need to know. It'll just get her in trouble."

Sighing, he thought it over a bit more. Dawn wanted to know about his past, and maybe, just maybe she might be the first person he could talk to about it.

Letting out a yell of frustration, Paul slammed his fist to the ground and climbed to his feet. Taking one last look at the sky, he shoved his hands in his pockets and began the short walk to the nearby village.

…

"Pip Pip Piplup lup!"

"Ssssh! Be quiet Piplup I'm trying to think!"

"You thinking? That's a laugh."

Dawn looked up from where she was crouching to see Paul walking towards her, his hands shoved in his pockets and his lips curved into a smirk.

"So look who's here. The dark prince of depression." Dawn snarled. She turned away from him, missing the small flash of hurt over his face. But it soon a hard look took its place.

"What the hell is wrong with you." He snapped back. Dawn could tell it wasn't a statement.

"Why should I tell you? Its not like you even care!" she retorted.

Paul opened his mouth, about to say he did but instead he just shrugged. "Whatever Troublesome."

She shot him a nasty glare then turned back to her chatting pokemon.

She couldn't use Pachirisu, he was too out of control at the moment for a contest this important. Maybe Quilava and Piplup… that won't work. She had used them last time.

There was nothing really she could do with Mamoswine. Dawn had used him time and time again. She planned on using Togekiss and Buneary for the battle rounds.

"Argh! I need more pokemon!" she dropped to her knees and placed her head in one of her hands. "I want a grass pokemon!"

"Here." She felt something being pressed into the palm of her free hand. Opening her eyes, Dawn saw Paul handing her a pokeball and offering her a small smile.

"I-I… Paul?"

"It Torterra. See what you can do with him."

Dawn was thrilled, she got to her feet and threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you Paul!" she squealed, pulling away and cheerfully pecking him on the cheek.

"…" Paul's mouth open and before Dawn could see, he turned and raced for the side of the battlefield they where standing on.

"Wait Paul! Are you going to watch?" Dawn called after him, instead of replying, Paul just held up a hand and sat down, cross-legged on the grass, trying to ignore the blush that was creeping onto his cheeks.

"Right! Everybody, return!" Dawn called out, throwing all her pokeballs except for Piplups into the air. "Torterra! Um… come on out?"

Dawn was stuck with what to say as the giant turtle pokemon came out. She normally said 'Spotlight' but Paul said 'Standby for battle'. And this wasn't exactly a battle.

"Torterra!" it yelled and Piplup joined in, calling his name.

"Hey Torterra!" Dawn chirped, walking over to the pokemon and rubbing the top of its head. "Is it ok if you help me out with my contest?"

Toterra turned his head over to look at Paul, who gave him a nod before roaring its name.

"Thanks Torterra! You're the best!" Dawn said happily.

Quickly she organized the two Pokemon to stand just in front of her. Sticking her tongue out in concentration for a minute, she thought of an appeal to do.

"Torterra! Frenzy plant to create a net!" she cried. Quickly, the pokemon obeyed. "Now use leaf storm!"

Soon the net of roots was filled with leaves.

"Piplup! Use water gun on the leaves! Then Bubble beam!" Both the pokemon looked at her but Piplup dutifully obeyed.

As soon as the bubbles hit the pile of twigs, leaves and water. The pile exploded.

Dawn and Paul both covered their eyes and the wind slammed into them, ruffling their hair and clothes. But when they looked, they both were in awe.

The roots had just disappeared but the leaves, bubbles and water had stayed. Forming together to create loads of bubbles, filled with water with a single leaf in all of them.

"Amazing!" Dawn cried as a bubble drifted in front of her. "Paul! Was that cool or what!" she and the pokemon rushed over to the standing trainer, who held a bubble softly in his hand.

"Paul?"

"It was pathetic." He suddenly snarled, clenching his fist and bursting the bubble.

"You… You hated it?" Dawn asked, her lip trembling. She watching in horror as he threw the leaf to the ground and stood on it.

"Yes you idiot. I hated it. It was pathetic, childish and down right stupid." He snapped.

"But-But I liked it…. I thought you would to!"

"WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG!" he thundered. Turning on his heel, he stormed away towards the pokemon centre. Dawn felt tears in her eyes.

"But… it was amazing" she muttered just as a bubble popped over her head, drenching her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Another little note! Thanks for the reviews! Really appreciate it!**

**Sorry about all the OOCness. BUT its going to continue in this chapter. Hopefully, this chapter will explain somethings as well!**

**ANYWAY! If there is anything else I didn't add in this chapter that you would like an answer about, just put in in your review and I'll see if I can answer it :D!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Buneary, I'll ask you one last time. Where. Is. he?"

"Bun bun buneary!"

"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE PIPLUP IS?"

"BUNEARY!"

"THEN I SUGGEST YOU GO FIND HIM!"

"BUN!"

The small bunny pokemon turned on its heel and stormed away from its trainer, its nose up in the air. Dawn, the pokemon's trainer, sighed and put her head in her hands.

Groaning, she slid down the couch she was resting on until she slouched, exposing her legs to the heat of the fire in front of her.

"For the love of Arceus…." She muttered.

"Excuse me. Miss Berlitz?"

"WHAT!" Dawn snapped, throwing her hands down and glaring viciously at the person talking to her, only for her eyes to widened and her mouth to drop open.

"N-Nurse Joy!" she cried, scrambling to her feet. "Oh Arceus I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to snap!" she watched in surprise as Joy just laughed.

"Don't worry. I can see you're on edge. Here." Joy giggled, handing Dawn one of the mugs she was holding in her hands. "Sit down."

Dawn quickly obeyed the nurse and plopped back down, being mindful as not to spill the drink.

"You like hot chocolate right?" Joy asked, gesturing at the mug Dawn held as she sat down beside the bluenette.

"Yeah! I love it!" Dawn laughed, and quickly downed some of the drink. Joy smiled and sipped her own.

"So Miss Berlitz…"

"Please its Dawn."

"Or Troublesome so I hear." Joy chuckled, smirking.

"NO!" Dawn cried. "NO IT'S NOT!"

"Calm down Dawn. I was just joking. I heard that boy Paul muttering something about 'Troublesome' so I'm assuming it was you."

Dawn snorted. "Why would you think that? Troublesome could be anyone!"

"You forget, how else would he find out what room he was in if you didn't tell him?"

Dawn turned bright red and quickly swallowed some more hot chocolate, ignoring the rhetorical question. Sighing, Joy turned to the fire.

"Nurse Joy?"

"Just Joy." She said with a smile, Dawn returned it with a smile of her own.

"Joy. Why are men so weird?" Joy burst out in a fit of giggles, causing Dawn to frown. "What's so funny!"

Joy tried pulling herself together. "You thinking men are weird!"

"But they are!"

"Ever thought they have the same thought on girls?"

"We're not as weird!" Dawn snapped, making Joy laugh again.

"Trust me Dawn. We're just as weird. Maybe even weirder!"

"Whatever." Dawn snarled, turning back to the fire, crossing her arms. Joy sighed and placed her hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of them.

"So Dawn. Why do you ask?"

Dawn stared at Joy for a while, almost like she was trying to see if the Nurse was worthy to talk to. Finally, Dawn sighed and turned her whole body to face Joy.

"Well, that guy Paul. I'm traveling with him to Veilstone thanks to some stupid bet and…" Dawn continued on telling Joy about everything that had happened in the past couple of days. Joy patiently listened, and allowed Dawn to vent.

"…And now he's just stormed away without telling me anything! I'm worried about what's going on Joy!"

"Hmmm…" Joy hummed, thinking over what Dawn had said.

"I don't know what to do." Dawn sighed, her head in her hands again. "Its like he's having mass mood swings. One moment he's making sarcastic jokes, kinda being the Paul I know then the next he goes all rage! Its hard to keep up with!"

"He's never going to be the same Paul, Dawn."

"Why not!"

"Normally you don't travel with him right?" Joy asked, Dawn nodded her head in answer. "Well now that you are, something's are definitely going to change. For example, he's never traveled with someone else before so he has to adjust to that."

"I guess your right. So he's going to be out of character forever then?"

"Well not forever. But he will change a lot."

"Argh! Can't life just be simple?" She moaned, rubbing her forehead with her spare hand. "I don't know what to do!"

"Dawn. I would suggest you…"

Suddenly the doors flew open and a small boy and girl raced in, a wounded glameow in the boy's arms.

"NURSE JOY! WE NEED HELP!" the girl screamed, pointing at the pokemon. Quickly Nurse Joy was on her feet and a chansey came flying out of a next-door room, pushing a bed for the pokemon.

"Quick Chasney. Get glameow to the emergency room. You two go with her and stay just in the waiting area. I'll be there in two seconds." Joy ordered, standing up and throwing her empty mug on the table.

They all nodded and took off down a hall as Joy faced Dawn. "Just talk to Paul. See what happens. Who knows, he might actually open up to you!" she said, before turning and racing down the hall after the others.

Dawn watched it all happen, her mouth open slightly.

"Guess I better see to Paul…" she muttered, raising the mug to her lips and swallowing the last of the drink before placing it beside Joy's mug.

Slowly, Dawn got to her feet and stretched her muscles, clicking her back.

"Dr Depressed, here I come."

"Buneary!" Dawn's head snapped up to see her pokemon sprinting towards her.

"What's up?" Dawn asked, crouching down. The flustered pokemon screeched to a halt in front of her.

"Bun Buneary! Buneary eary!" she squealed, waving her arms frantically.

"WHAT!" Dawn's eyes popped out of her head. "Piplups missing?"

"Buneary Buneary!"

"You think he's with Paul?"

"Bun!" she affirmed. Dawn sighed and ran a hand over her face. Standing up and reaching into her pocket, she pulled out Buneary's ball.

"Well. I gotta go see Paul anyway so…" she trailed off when Buneary nodded its head. Dawn smiled and returned the pokemon before pocketing the ball.

…

"ALRIGHT GRAPE-HEAD! We need to talk! NOW!" Dawn yelled as she slammed the door to their room shut. Storming forward, she walked up the two-meter long hallway before faltering as she saw Paul.

He was lying on one of the double beds; his face relaxed and mouth open slightly, breathing softly. His purple bangs fell lightly onto his face and surprisingly his mouth was (not only open slightly) curled up into a small smile. One arm was under his pillow, clutching it tightly while the other was wrapped around a pokemon cuddled into his chest.

A large smile appeared on Dawns face when she realized the pokemon was actually Piplup. The moon fell onto the two on the bed, thanks to the window over looking the forest not having the curtains drawn.

No matter how much she didn't want to disturb him, Dawn crept forward silently until she was standing over him.

"Paul…" she whispered, trying a more tactful way of waking him up instead of storming head first into a room screaming. "Paul wake up. We need to talk."

Reaching out, she shook his shoulder gently. When he didn't respond, Dawn sat down on the edge of the bed and tried shaking him again.

"Paul." She cooed, going from shaking his shoulder to stroking his hair. She ran it through her fingers, loving the soft silky feel of it. "Wake up sweetie."

Dawn slapped a hand over her mouth. Where the hell did sweetie come from! Shaking herself mentally, Dawn saw Paul's eyes scrunch up before snapping open wide.

"W-what…?" he breathed, his mouth forming an 'o' shaping, making him look kind of innocent. Dawn giggled.

"Wake up sleepy head!" Dawn chirped, not realizing that she was still absent-mindedly playing with his hair.

"Ugh." He groaned. "Don't wanna." He pouted childishly, surprising Dawn. Who would think Paul could be so… non-Paul?

"Paul. Come on. We need to talk." Dawn snapped. Paul almost seemed to wake up at that. He quickly sat bolt up right, knocking Dawns hand away from his hair and sending a now awake Piplup tumbling to the ground.

"PIPLUP!" the little penguin cried out.

"Paul!" Dawn gasped, dropping to the ground beside the pokemon and picking it up in a cuddle. "That was mean!"

"Stupid thing deserved it!" Paul snarled back, even though his eyes showed concern for the pokemon. Unfortunately the ever so unobservant Dawn, missed it.

"Still!" she snapped, climbing to her feet and sitting back on the bed.

"This is my bed. Go on the other one." Paul hissed, pushing her back gently. Dawn didn't budge.

"No. You have some explaining to do!"

"No I don't." Paul retorted.

"Yes you do. I want to know what's going on Paul."

Dawn saw the flash of uncertainty flicker in Paul's eye and watched as he turned to look at Piplup. The little pokemon nodded.

"Fine. What do you want to know?" he sighed in defeat, preferring to look at his hands rather than her. Dawn sighed as well.

"Why are you so… depressed? Why do you have like bipolar moments? Low one moment, high the next? Why are you so angry?"

He stayed silent, only shifting his position on the bed so he was hugging his knees up to his chest. Dawn moved as well, sitting cross-legged in front of him with Piplup on her lap.

"What happened in your past Paul?"

He flinched. "Wouldn't you like to know." He muttered sarcastically.

"Paul…"

"Sorry sorry." He said holding up his hands. That surprised Dawn as well. Paul apologizing? Well there's a first for everything.

"Listen, if I tell you this, will you promise not to tell anyone?" he asked, raising his head to look her dead in the eyes. Dawn swallowed the lump in her throat. By the look in his eyes, she could tell that this wasn't debatable.

"Promise." She said with a nod of her head. Paul smirked.

"Good. So where shall I start?"

"Well… where ever it'll make sense."

Sighing, Paul went silent for a moment, wrapping his arms back around his knees and resting his chin on them.

"My parents died when I was six and a half" he started. He raised his head again, locking gazes with Dawn. "Murdered. Both of them."

Dawn's mouth dropped open. "W-what…" Paul raised a hand, stopping her.

"A man named Conway killed them. He was out for revenge." Swallowing the lump now in his throat, he saw the look of confusion on Dawns face.

"Conway… sounds like…"

"The Conway who was in the tag team battle with you five years ago?" Dawn nodded at Paul. "Well, funnily enough, Conway is also the name of his father."

Dawn's eyebrows rose. "You mean…"

"Yeah. Conway's dad killed my parents. Big woop." Rolling his eyes, Paul began fidgeting with his fingers.

"Why… why was he out for revenge?"

"My parents weren't exactly normal. Dad was an ex pokemon trainer turned doctor and Mum was a champion co-coordinator."

Dawn's mouth dropped open. "What was her name?"

Paul fixed her with his black eyes. "Chaarn Violet Lopez. Or as she went by in contests, Violent Violet."

"WAIT! WHAT…?"

"Don't shout."

"…Your mum was the best co-coordinator Sinnoh has had in the past hundred or so years! She won well over a hundred contests!"

"And over thirty Grand festivals. Woohoo."

"But how?"

"How what?"

"How is she your mother?"

"Well Troublesome, when a mummy and daddy love each other very much…" he started sarcastically only to receive a punch to the knee.

"SHUT UP! I know that! But how can someone so… nice… be your mother?" Dawn snapped. Paul glared at her, a look of anger on his face.

"DO YOU THINK I WAS ALWAYS THIS MEAN?" he screamed at her, his hands balled into fists. "YOU TRY HAVING YOUR PARENTS MURDERED IN FRONT OF YOU! SEE HOW YOU FEEL!"

Dawn's mouth dropped open at his reaction. It honestly scared her to hell. "Paul I…"

"I WAS SIX AND A HALF! I WAS JUST THE LITTLE KID DOWN THE STREET WHO HAD THE PERFECT BROTHER, THE PERFECT MOTHER, THE PERFECT FATHER AND THE PERFECT LIFE! TRY HAVING ALL OF THAT FLUSHED DOWN THE DRAIN IN SECONDS!"

"Paul…"

"My parents weren't killed because of a car crash! Or because of a pokemon training practice gone wrong! Or because of heart attacks or any of that common crap! THEY WERE MURDERED! Right in front of me too!"

Paul took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Conway was pissed off at my father because he didn't save his wife. She had cancer or something like that and couldn't be saved. Conway packed a shit and after his wife died, came looking for revenge on the man who he held responsible."

"Oh Paul…" he held his hand up; stop Dawn for the third time.

"He decided, the best revenge he could take out on my father was to kill the love of his life just like my father had supposedly done to him. He waited till the next grand festival. Knowing Mum would participate in it."

"Violent Violets last festival…."

"Yeah. Last one she ever participated in. Last on she won." Paul shuddered a little bit and watched in surprise as Dawn leaned forward, resting a hand on his knee.

"Its ok." He gave her a thankful smile. Leaning back, Paul laid back down on the bed, his arms behind his head and his eyes wide as they focused on a patch of ceiling.

"Reggie and I were with Mum at the time. Dad was still inside. He had told her to leave and get away from the press while he got her stuff." Paul mumbled, his voice going lower. "C-Conway attacked us the back alley way. With his pokemon."

Dawn's eyes widened. Using your pokemon to attack others was a dirty deed in this world. Pokemon weren't to be used as wild killing machines.

"Mum tried fighting them with her own. But Conway's pokemon ignored them, aiming just for her." He shuddered again and Dawn swore she could hear his voice shake. "Reggie and I didn't know what to do. Sure, I had my Turtwig and Reggie had his Starly but they were only starter Pokemon. They couldn't do much against final evolutions."

His eyes were misty as he relived the moment.

"_MUMMY!" a young Paul screamed, a Turtwig crying out in his arms._

"_Paul! Shush! Mum needs to concentrate!" a ten year old Reggie snapped, standing beside him._

"_But we have to do something!"_

"_Like what!"_

"_We could go and get Daddy!"_

_Reggie's eyes widened. "Yes! Good thinking Paul!"_

_Unfortunately, the green haired man in front of them heard and his glasses flashed._

"_Raichu, Infernape. Hold on to them." He snarled, throwing two pokeballs up into the air._

"So is that why you were always mean to Pikachu… and Chimchar?" Dawn asked. Paul only nodded.

"_CHAARN!" A man screamed at the top of his lungs as he flew through the back ally way._

"_DADDY!" Paul screamed, struggling viciously against the Raichu holding him. "MUMMY NEEDS HELP!"_

_The man, dropped to his knees beside Chaarn's body. "No… God no…" he mumbled, tears welling up in his eyes. Beside Paul, Reggie stopped struggling, tears leaking down his face as well._

"_Mum…" he cried. The man stood up and faced the laughing green haired man._

"_Conway…" he snarled. "You bastard."_

"_Hello Zolander. Long time no see."_

"Paul…"

"Just… shut up."

_Paul watched as his father threw punch after punch at Conway in blind rage, Conway laughing as he dodged every blow and Reggie's screams to stop._

"_She's dead Zolander… Just like my Karol. How does it feel?"_

"_You know I couldn't help her!"_

"_BUT YOU DIDN'T TRY!" Conway burst, suddenly throwing himself at Zolander. Paul saw a small glint in his hand._

"_DADDY! HE HAS A KNIFE!" Paul screamed, but it was to late. Zolander's eyes widened as the knife slammed into his chest. Conway's maniacal laughter pierced the air along with the screams from Paul and Reggie._

Paul shuddered at the memory and felt small arms wrap around his shoulders. Opening his eyes wide, he saw Dawns face covered in tears as she hugged him.

"Get off…." He muttered half-heartedly.

"No." Was all she said, squeezing him tight. Paul sighed and surprisingly snuggled closer to her.

"_What are you doing Reg! Don't just stand there! Mummy and Daddy need help!" Paul cried, racing towards their bodies. Reggie watched as Conway and his pokemon ran around the corner, laughing hysterically,_

"_REGGIE!"_

"_SHUT UP PAUL! YOU KNOW THEY'RE DEAD SO STOP KIDDING YOURSELF!" Reggie suddenly screamed at his younger brother, bitter tears streaming down his face. Paul stopped in his tracks and stared at his brother._

"_They're not gone…" he mumbled. Reggie stomped forward and roughly grabbed him by the shoulders._

"_They are. We need to call the police, Paul. There is no point in trying to wake the dead!"_

_Suddenly Paul burst into tears. "Mummy…" he cried. Reggie sighed and wrapped his brother in his arms._

"_It'll be ok Paulie. I'll look after you." Reggie swore, staring at his parent's bodies while Paul nodded into his older brothers chest._

"I'm sorry Paul."

He just shook his head. "Whatever. It was twelve years ago."

"Your parents were murdered right in front of you. Its so not a whatever!"

He shrugged. "The police turned up and Reggie and I stayed with Dads brother Michael. Or Uncle Hael."

"Uncle Hael?"

"He hated the name Mike."

"Oh"

"Yeah. Well it was ok to start off with. Surprisingly, we got through it pretty ok. Even though everyone thought that we'd have mental breakdowns every day. Reggie got through it easier than me. He had goals in life so he just kept going, taking it all in his stride." He sighed, snuggling a bit more into Dawn who had moved up to lye beside him.

"I was only six. I was still convinced Mum and Dad were gonna come get us, take us out for ice cream then go play in the park like we did so many times. Oh the stupid dreams of children."

"Not that stupid."

"I should've just listened to Reggie. Done the same as him."

"Paul, you were only six."

"That's no excuse!" he exploded. "I watched them die right in front of me. I watched their bodies be carried away on stretchers. I watched as their heads flopped to the side and stared at me with those cold, empty dead eyes…" Paul shuddered violently and tears appeared in the corner of his eyes. "For months afterwards, I would scream out in my sleep. Begging them not to leave."

"Like today."

"Yeah. Like today." He glanced at her. "I don't know why that happened. I haven't had those dreams since… well since I last actually talked to you five years ago."

"You think I have something to do with it?" she speculated, seeing the accusing look in his eye.

Paul shrugged. "I dunno. But it's really worrying." Deciding to let the subject die, Dawn asked another question.

"So what happened after you moved in with your Uncle?"

"People were following us around for two months, making sure we were alright. Some of them were press as well. Trying to get the inside scoop on what had happened in the ally way."

"That's disgusting! Asking children about their parents murders!"

"I know. So we left. After two months. Reggie convinced Uncle Hael to let him go on his Pokemon Journey. Uncle Hael agreed and I asked to go with him. Uncle Hael reluctantly agreed to that one but there was NO way he was keeping me away from my big brother."

"Good point." Dawn giggled, smiling at him. Paul gave a weak smile back.

"We traveled for two years, visiting Uncle Hael and my cousin every now and again. But we stopped when I was eight, and Reggie was newly thirteen. That was after getting defeated by Brandon." He sighed at that part. "We went back to Veilstone, him to start up his breeding business and me to ready myself for my own journey in two years."

Dawn looked at him. "Where's Conway now?"

"Senior?"

"Yeah."

"He died of a heart attack in prison."

"W-what…? Prison?" she stuttered. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"You thought we wouldn't catch him?"

"No just… wow."

Paul sighed. "Yeah. Anyway. You know the rest of the story." He mumbled. "Now… I would like to go back to sleep." Turning over, he tried to close his eyes.

"Wait. Does Conway, the one I know, want revenge on you then? For catching his Dad?"

Paul snorted and rolled over to face her. "What do you think Troublesome?"

"I have a name."

"Join the club blueberry."

"Shut up grape-head."

"Oh? We getting into a fruit fight now?"

"What? No!"

"Cause its pretty fruity of us."

"…" Dawn stared at Paul with a raised eyebrow. "That was unbelievably lame Paul."

He smirked at her. "Don't I know it."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "And you call me pathetic."

"HEY!"

"Doesn't feel so nice does it!"

"Whatever." Once again Paul rolled over, ignoring the girl.

"Paul."

"WHAT NOW?" he snapped.

"Turn over." Groaning, Paul obeyed and was surprised when Dawn grabbed his head and placed it under her chin, his head on her chest and her arms around his shoulders. What surprised Paul even more was the fact he liked it.

"Thank you Paul. For telling me." She whispered. Paul thought about replying but didn't. Instead he wrapped his arms tight around her waist and snuggled into her, choosing to for once step out of his hard shell and sleep in her arms for the night.

At the end of the bed, Piplup sat watching the two, one non-existent eyebrow raised and Paul's phone on camera mode in his flippers.


	10. Chapter 10

**Soooo Hello again! Um hope the last chapter explained a bit. And I hope you kinda got the hidden message Joy was giving about Paul :/**

**This is a kinda fill in chapter with a revelation which will turn big eventually!**

**Just on a side note, RIP Japan. My thoughts are with you and if any of my readers are from Japan, I hope your ok!**

* * *

"So he told you EVERYTHING?"

"Yeah… everything!"

"Amazing…"

"I know! Paul opened up to me."

"So what happened? What did he say?"

Dawn Berlitz fell into a thoughtful silence at the question that her friend May Maple asked. Flashbacks of last night flew into her head. Paul's sad face, his shuddering, they way her arms fit so perfectly around him and his around her. How his head neatly tucked under her chin. His hot breath on her bare neck…

"DAWN!" yelled everyone on the other end of the vid-phone. Dawn's eyes widened and she re-focused her eyes onto Ash, Misty, May and Brock.

"What?" she demanded. Misty and May smirked at her.

"What happened between you two last night Dawn?" Misty asked, the smirk still on her lips. Dawn blushed furiously.

"N-nothing! What on earth makes you think that!" Dawn cried. Short laughs were heard from May and Misty.

"Dawn, nobody gets that gaga look on their face unless something happened between them and someone else." May laughed.

"Nothing happened!"

"Then why are you blushing?" Misty asked.

"I-I… shut up!" Dawn snapped, turning her back on the vid-phone. Misty and May laughed.

"Oh Dawn! Its ok you can tell us! We won't…"

"DID YOU TWO HAVE SEX?" Ash suddenly yelled, shoving his face close to the screen.

"WHAT!" All three girls screamed.

"DAWN!" Nurse Joy yelled from the front desk.

"Sorry Joy!" Dawn cried before turning back to the screen, her face bright red along with a huge death glare.

"ASH! Why would you think that!" May jumped in, knowing that Dawn would go nuts at Ash and ask Misty to smash him over the head with her mullet. Which Misty would be all too happy to do.

"Well… she looks guilty! Just like Misty does after her and I…"

Misty suddenly let out a squeal and threw herself into Ash, causing them both to fall to the ground and away from the camera. Everyone else's mouths dropped open.

"M-Misty… and Ash?" Dawn stuttered.

"NO!" Misty yelled, throwing her head up into the camera to stare at Dawn. "We're not like that!"

"Yeah right. How many years has it been?" Brock asked, a smug look on his face. Misty turned bright red.

"Its not like you should be embarassed Misty!" Dawn continued.

"Yeah. You guys are nineteen so its expected for you to get... intimate..." May giggled.

"N-no! I swear its not…" giving up, Misty ducked her head down and by the looks on the others faces and the loud 'ows' Dawn could safely assume she was taking her embarrassment out on Ash.

"So what has Ash done now?" asked a confused looking Drew as he walked into view, both hands resting on top of his head. Brock laughed and quickly explained it to him.

Drew burst out laughing before turning to look at Dawn, his face serious. "So did you?"

"DREW!" Dawn screeched.

"I'm not joking Dawn." he said, the laughter in his eyes destroying all seriousness. "Did this boy take away my little 'sisters' innocence?"

"W-what..."

"Not that you are innocent!"

"MISTY!" Dawn yelped. Suddenly a hand came out of nowhere and Drew was dragged down to the ground. A new cry of pain flooded through the speakers.

"Wow Misty…" May commented, watching what Dawn couldn't see.

After a while, the cries of pain stopped and all three popped back up, Misty grinning and the two boys nursing bruised cheeks.

"REALLY?" Drew screamed at her. Misty just raised an eyebrow and tapped her mullet that was still resting in her hand.

"Drew! Shut up!" Ash hissed, being smart enough for once to see Misty was still angry. Drew just rolled his eyes.

"Where have you been Drew? I told you an hour ago that we were going to call Dawn." May intervened.

"Sorry." Drew winced, "My cousin called me. I haven't heard from him in about a year so I had to take the call."

Dawn smiled. "Your cousin?"

"Yeah! Apparently he's coming here to Veilstone!"

"Awesome! Do you think we could met him?" May asked, grinning. Drew grimaced

"Maybe. He's not exactly friendly. Anti-social to say the least." Drew looked away. "He's had a tough life."

"Oh. Who is your cousin?" Misty asked this time. Drew glanced at her with caution; glad to see she had put away her mullet.

"Well…"

"OI! Troublesome!"

Dawn's head snapped around to stare at her companion, Paul. He was walking towards her, his hands shoved in his pockets and his usual scowl on his face. The Poke Centre doors were closing behind him so it was obvious he had just come in.

"Where have you been? I woke up this morning and you weren't there." Dawn muttered, glaring daggers. He glared back.

"Well sorry. I didn't realize I had to tell you everything." He snapped. Dawn recoiled.

"I thought we were friends now!" she snarled back. Paul took a step forward.

"Just because of last night doesn't mean we're friends."

"I think it does!"

"Well it doesn't! I already told you, I don't need a pathetic excuse for a person as a friend."

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Dawn screamed, earning a glare from Joy. On the other end of the phone, Ash and Brock sighed.

"Well guess its official. Paul's here." Ash muttered. Drew frowned.

"Paul?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Its just that…" he was cut off when Dawn suddenly dragged Paul forward into the view of the camera by the front of his shirt.

"Get off me Troublesome!" he snarled, throwing her hands away from him.

"Not until you apolo…"

"PAUL?" Drew suddenly yelled. Paul, getting a fright, jumped and stared at the screen. His eyes widened.

"Drew?" he asked, uncertain. A happy nod came from the green haired boy.

"Dude! You didn't tell me you were traveling with Dawn!"

"You know her?"

"Duh! She's like a sister to me!" Drew laughed, rolling his eyes.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Ash suddenly yelled. "You guys know each other?" Everyone turned their attention to the two boys.

"Well yeah. We are cousins." Drew snorted.

"C-cousins?" Dawn stuttered.

Everyones eyes widened and their jaws dropped.

…

"I can't believe you didn't tell me Drew was your cousin!" Dawn muttered to Paul who sat beside her on a park bench.

"Never came up." He snapped. "Anyways, I didn't know you knew him."

Dawn grinned. "Does this mean we can be friends?"

"No."

"Pleaseeee!"

"No."

"Paulieeee!"

"Don't call me that."

"Jeez sorry."

"You should be."

"Oh my gosh Paul! Grow up!" Dawn suddenly cried out in annoyance. "Try making friends for once!"

Paul looked at her, his face pulled into a frown. "No."

"And stop saying no."

"Maybe."

Dawn let out a scream of frustration. "YOUR SO INFURIATING!"

Paul just smirked. "Anyways. We'll stay here another night before leaving early in the morning."

"How early is early?"

"Dunno yet. Early."

Dawn glared at him. "Fine."

Getting up, Paul starting walking back to the Poke center, before a smirk came over his face again.

"Oh Troublesome." He called, Dawns head turned to look at him. "Stay on your bed tonight."

"Whatever Paul!"

He laughed softly to himself and kept walking, hoping to get a goodnight sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**OHMYGOSH! Its been so long since I updated! My laptop was being a pain! Sorry! Plus that stinking Error Type 2 message! Kudos to Yahoo Answers for giving me a way around it!**

**Hmmm this is like a flashback chapter! Mostly so you get to see what Paul was like as a kid and yes they are pretty mature for their ages! **

**Its a really Ikari fluff chapter... when they were kids... yeah... with mild curtainshipping!**

**Oh and another thing! I wrote a pokeshipping oneshot so it would be awesome if you guys could take a look at it!**

**So enjoy!**

* * *

_The small boy dropped his backpack of belongings on the floor beside one of the two single beds in the room. Behind him, another boy a few years older, stumbled in, a suitcase in each hand, a backpack hanging off his shoulder._

_"You could help Paul!" he cried, dropping the suitcases and slinging his bag onto the end of the second bed, before ungracefully face planting it._

_"Sorry Reggie!" the young Paul giggled, patting his brothers back with fake sympathy. Groaning, Reggie smacked his brother's hand away just as a woman with long violet hair came in._

_"Reggie! Don't hit your brother!" she scolded, leaning against the doorway._

_"Sorry Mum." Reggie mumbled, sitting up. "I'm just tired."_

_The woman was about to reply when a pair of arms slithered around her waist and a man's head popped up, resting his chin on her shoulder._

_"Nice little hotel this! You have great taste Chaarn!" he grinned, kissing her cheek. Chaarn smiled back._

_"Only the best for my boys, Zolander!" she giggled, moving around in his arms to give him a quick kiss, despite the cries if disgust from the two brothers. Zolander chuckled before moving away, entering the bedroom and sitting on the edge of Reggie's bed._

_"How are the boys?" he asked, ruffling their hair. "Liking Twinleaf so far?"_

_The two nodded happily, causing their father to laugh._

_Paul and Reggie had inherited their mothers violet hair but also their fathers warm black eyes. Reggie looked a lot like Chaarn while Paul on the other hand was a spitting image of Zolander._

_"Mummy… can I go to the park?" Paul asked, giving his mother the puppy dog look. Chaarn sighed and glanced at Zolander._

_"I don't know…" she mumbled._

_"Go on honey. This is Twinleaf. They can't get into much trouble here." Zolander laughed, his shoulder length brown hair flying as he shook his head at his wife's paranoia. Chaarn smiled._

_"Fine. Paul you can go." She grinned at her youngest son's cry of joy. "BUT on two conditions."_

_Paul froze. Of course. There was always a catch._

_"And they are...?" Reggie asked, knowing that somehow he would be dragged into this._

_"Unpack your bags first. We'll be here for about a week and take Reggie with you." As Chaarn spoke, her piercing green eyes bore into Zolander, almost daring him to disagree with her. The boys also stared at their father, pleading with him to do just that._

_"Sorry guys. But I have to agree with mum." Zolander sighed._

_"WHAT!" they yelled. Zolander winced and glanced at Chaarn, who only gave him 'the look' in response. Sighing, he turned back to his kids._

_"Its just for safety reasons guys. And look on the brightside! Reggie turns ten in a few months and will be starting on his pokemon journey, so look at this like your final… bonding time!" he cheered, plastering a smile on his face. When all he received back was two death glares, he groaned._

_"Take it up with your mother." He snapped, stomping out of the room._

_"Have fun! Be back by dinner!" Chaarn giggled, following her husband before the boys could complain._

_…_

_Paul sighed as he listened to the lonely creak of the swing. A little ways away from him, Reggie sat talking to a bubbly, pink-headed girl called Maylene who lived in the house across the street. It was obvious that the two liked each other._

_He had been so excited, in his little childish head, he had believed the park would be full of kids his age and he could have made a friend. Obviously not._

_Or maybe he was wrong._

_The other swing beside him creaked mournfully and out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of blue and pink._

_Turning on his swing, he faced the other one. Only to see a girl around his age sitting there. A huge grin adorned her face, twinkling blue eyes and silky blue hair accompanied it. A bright, hot pink dressed finished off her look._

_"Hi! I'm Dawn!" she giggled, her voice loud and happy. Paul raised an eyebrow._

_"Paul." He said, uncertain. Dawn laughed and bent over, kissing him on the cheek._

_"Hi Paul! Lets be friends!" she chirped, her eyes dancing with happiness. Paul instantly liked her. She seemed to be someone fun and cheerful._

_"Sure!" Paul chuckled, giving her a high-five._

_That was Paul's first friend in Twinleaf._

_His first crush too._

_…_

_Paul grinned as he led Dawn to the hotel he was at. She giggled beside him and squeezed the hand she was holding._

_"Is your mummy nice?" she asked. Paul nodded happily at his friend of two days._

_"Yeah! She is really nice!"_

_"And your daddy?"_

_"He is too!"_

_"What about your brother?"_

_"You met him yesterday dummy!" Paul laughed, flicking her on the side of the head gently. Dawn giggled._

_They walked up to the door of the little house in the hotel complex they were staying in and Paul creaked it open._

_"Now remember. It's Lopez. Low-Pez." He muttered, pronouncing it for her. Dawn nodded and mumbled it under her breath a few times, before giving him a grin and nod. Paul smiled._

_"MUM! DAD!" he cried, dragging Dawn into the living room, slamming the door behind him. Reggie was sitting at the table, reading a book while his father lay on the couch watching TV. Both looked up._

_"Hey Paulie, Dawn." Reggie said, smiling at them. Zolander got up off the couch and ruffled Paul's hair._

_"Hey squirt." He chuckled. "You must be Dawn?" he asked, turning his attention to the little girl whom his son was holding hands with. Dawn nodded._

_"Hi Mr. Opez!" she chirped, holding out her hand like she'd seen her mother do to people she'd just met._

_"Lopez!" Paul hissed under his breath. Dawn blushed._

_"I mean, Mr. Lopez!" Zolander laughed and took her hand, giving it a gentle shake._

_"Hello Dawn. Its nice to meet you." He gave her a warm smile and Dawn blushed. They all jumped when a sudden crash was heard from the kitchen._

_"Dawns here?" A flustered Chaarn yelled as she sprinted out of the kitchen. When she saw the young girl, a huge grin broke out over her face and she pulled Dawn into a hug._

_"Hello Dawn!" she cried, swinging the shocked girl around. "Its so great to meet you! Paul's told us so much about you!"_

_Finally she put the young girl on her feet and grinned. "How about a milkshake? I know! Milkshakes all-round!" she cried, grabbing her purse from the nearby table. "Lets go!"_

_Dawn giggled as Paul face palmed._

_"Sorry. My mums a bit…" he stopped to see Chaarn having a full on argument with Reggie about whether or not strawberry is the best flavour. "…special…"_

_Dawn laughed. "Your mum is awesome! Just wait until you met mine tomorrow!" Paul smiled at her and pulled her into a hug before following his father out the door. Reggie and Chaarn followed._

_"ADMIT IT REGGIE! STRAWBERRY RULES!"_

_…_

_Paul now knew how Dawn felt. He felt like throwing up as Johanna swung him around and around and around…_

_"Oh Paul! Its soooo great to meet you!" Johanna gushed, dropping him to the ground beside her daughter. "Do you want anything to eat? Drink? You name it!"_

_"Thank you Ms Berlitz but I think I'm good." Paul replied, trying to force his food back down his throat._

_"You sure?"_

_"Yes, thank you."_

_"Ok! Well what do you kiddies plan on doing today?" Johanna asked, sitting down in a chair. Dawn yanked Paul down onto the sofa beside her._

_"Paul was going to introduce me to his Turtwig!" Dawn announced. Johanna raised an eyebrow._

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah!" Paul confirmed. "If that's alright with you Ms Berlitz...?"_

_"Oh of course Paul!" she grinned happily. Dawn smiled back._

_"Thanks Mum! Is it ok if we go to the park? I think Reggie is down there so we'll be safe!"_

_Johanna frowned but nodded slowly. "Reggie is your brother right?"_

_"Yep! He's nine!" Paul explained. Johanna smiled._

_"Aright then." She mumbled. Dawn gave a cry of joy, dragged Paul out of his seat and was halfway towards the door before Johanna could continue._

_"Be safe! Take care of each other!"_

_"Bye Mum!" Dawn called over her shoulder as she flung open the door._

_"Nice meeting you!" Paul yelled as well as it slammed shut._

_…_

_"We should give each other nicknames! Only for us to use!" Dawn cried from where she was sitting at the table in the hotel Paul was staying at. Paul sat across from her, continuing to colour in some pictures in the colouring book they had._

_"That sounds like a good idea!" Paul agreed, looking up at the girl. "Yours has to be pretty!"_

_Dawn blushed. "Why?"_

_"Well… a pretty girl has to have a pretty name!"_

_Chaarn, who was sitting at the head of the table reading, smiled at her sons sweet innocence._

_"Thanks Paul!" Dawn giggled, reaching over to kiss him on the cheek. Clearing his throat from embarrassment, Paul turned to look at Chaarn._

_"Mummy. What's that rock called again? The one starting with 'D'"_

_"I don't know what you're talking about Paulie." Chaarn replied, confused. Paul grabbed her left hand and shoved in her face._

_"That one!"_

_"Oh!" Chaarn cried, spotting the twinkling diamonds on her wedding ring. "That's a diamond. Die-mon-d." She said slowly, so Paul would be able to pronounce it right. Grinning the boy turned back to his friend._

_"Diamond Dawn! Or maybe DeeDee for short!" Paul cried, a huge grin on his face._

_"I like it!" Dawn gushed happily. "And you can be…"_

_"Paulie!"_

_"But everyone calls you that…."_

_"But no one says it like you do!" Paul grinned. Dawn blushed._

_"Well… ok!"_

_Paul laughed. "So these are our nicknames?"_

_"Yup! And no one else can use them!" Dawn nodded. Paul looked a little uneasy though._

_"Not even Kenny? Or Barry? Or Leona?" He asked, referencing to Dawns other friends he had met briefly._

_"Not even them!"_

_"Good!" he grabbed another colouring pencil and gestured for her to do the same. "Lets finish this aye DeeDee?"_

_"Sure thing Paulie!" Dawn giggled._

_Chaarn watched in delight as the two continued colouring, giggling and using the nicknames they had just given each other._

_It brought a huge smile to her face._

_…_

_"Paulie!" Dawn cried as she swung the door open, revealing a grinning Paul holding his Turtwig, a rather bored Reggie and a smiling Chaarn and Zolander._

_"DeeDee!" he replied, hugging the girl tightly. She giggled and grabbed his hand, dragging him into the house._

_Johanna laughed and moved out of the way of the happy kids._

_"Sorry about that!" she chuckled to the three at the door. "Come in! Come in!" quickly, they walked in and Johanna took their coats before leading them to the dining room._

_"Now. This here is Claire Dore and her daughter Maylene." Johanna introduced, gesturing to the two sitting at the table. Reggie's head shot up and his eyes widened in surprise in surprise to see his crush sitting right in front of him._

_"Oooh Reg! Your girlfriends here!" Paul suddenly cooed from behind the group, a smirk on his face and Dawn giggling behind him._

_"WHAT! Come here you little runt!" Reggie yelled, lunging at his brother who squealed and pushed a laughing Dawn through the door and took off, dragging her behind him. Reggie hot on their heels._

_"Kids these days!" Claire said, a huge grin on her face._

_"I'll sort them out." Maylene growled and got up to follow the others. Leaving the adults to just shake their heads at the squealing in the other room._

_…_

_"Do you really have to leave?"_

_"Yeah… Mum has her last contest before the grand festival coming up. She wants to get there early to practice."_

_"Will you visit me?"_

_"Whenever I can!" Paul chuckled, dragging Dawn into a hug. Dawn buried her head into his shoulder and giggled._

_"You still smell like strawberries!" she chirped. Paul groaned and pushed her away._

_"Its your fault!" he accused. "You spilt my mums bottle of perfume on me!"_

_"Sure sure!" she giggled and hugged him again._

_"I'll miss you DeeDee." He mumbled._

_"I'll miss you Paulie." She giggled. She gave him one last kiss on the cheek before he sprinted away to his family car, where his family was waiting with Johanna. Dawn walked more slowly over to stand beside her mother who was talking to Chaarn and Zolander through the window._

_"It was nice meeting you!" Johanna said. Chaarn nodded happily._

_"You too!"_

_"Come visit sometime yeah?"_

_"Of course! The kids will love it."_

_Silently, Johanna took Dawns hand and stepped away from the car. The engine revved just as the back window wound down and Reggie stuck his head out._

_"Paul loves you Dawn!" he laughed._

_"REGGIE!" Paul screamed, before shoving his head out the window. "I don't Dawn!"_

_Dawn just giggled. "Its ok! I love you too!"_

_Both the boy's mouths dropped open and Paul flashed Reggie a smug look before grinning at Dawn._

_"I'll come see you soon! And then we can really be in love!" Paul declared._

_"And get married?" She asked innocently._

_"Of course! Why not!" He laughed._

_"I'd like that!" Dawn giggled. Paul shot her one last grin as Johanna and Chaarn exchanged smiles._

_Oh to be a child._

_Quietly the car drove off. Everyone waving at each other._

_"BYE PAULIE!" Dawn yelled, waving vigorously._

_"BYE DEEDEE!" Paul shouted back as the car disappeared around a corner._


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey hey! Thanks for the reviews guys! Awesome stuff! Just thought I'd say I _FINALLY_ got that Pokeshipping oneshot up, its under Adventure Quest on the email thing but its Pokemon! It would be awesome if you guys could take a look :)**

**So this chapter is interesting, finally getting a little bit of action in it! And hopefully humour as well :)**

**Anyway, Enjoy!**

* * *

Her mood was dark as she stormed along behind Paul. Six-thirty in the freaking morning? He was pushing the limit of early to far.

"WAKE UP!" Paul suddenly screamed in her face. Instantly, Dawns eyes widened and she snapped out of her half asleep state.

"W-what?" she asked, frowning. Paul sighed.

"Good. You're awake." When Dawn only raised her eyebrow, Paul continued. "Look, you have to be awake to walk through the forest. Especially in the morning when the pokemon will be getting up and hunting for their breakfast. I'm sure you don't want to be that breakfast."

Turning on his heel, he stomped off towards the forest. Although he stopped when a sudden sense of déjà vu came over him.

"WAIT!"

"Oh shit…" Paul muttered. He did NOT want to be dragged into a shopping trip again. The last one was enough to give him nightmares for life.

"Do we really have to walk through the forest?"

"Yes." He snarled, his back still to her. Paul could hear her footsteps as she walked up behind him.

"Can we walk down the road for just a _little _bit! Please!" Dawn begged, tugging on Paul's arm. He yanked it out of her grasp.

"No."

"Paul! Come on! Its six-thirty in the morning…"

"You're not letting that go are you?"

"…and no other trainer will be up at this time let alone walking down a road!" she groaned.

Paul turned his head and glanced at her desperate face.

"Why do you want to travel on the road?"

"Its either that or we're going shopping." She snapped, pulling back and placing her hands on her hips. "And not just for me this time."

Paul's face drained of colour. Shopping with her _for_ her was bad… but add in him? He was not willing.

"Fine." He sighed, turning and walking down the road. "But only until we see the first person."

"Yes!" Dawn cried, pumping her fist in victory. Chasing after Paul, she reached into her bag and pulled out a pokeball with a thunderbolt sticker on the top. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"Electric pokemon?"

"Yeah! Pachirisu!" she giggled.

"Hmph." He grunted, turning his head back to the road with his hands jammed in his pockets.

"Come on Pachirisu! Lets have some fun!" Dawn cheered, throwing the pokeball in front of them. Paul watched as a small blue and white squirrel pokemon leapt out with a cry, before flinging its self at Dawn.

"PACHI!" it squealed in delight. Dawn giggled and caught it.

"Hey Pachirisu! Ready for some fun" she asked. Pachirisu nodded and jumped out of her arms.

"Pacchi Pachirisu!" it chirped happily. Dawn laughed and smiled at Paul.

"We're going to go for a run! Be back soon!" she cried before taking off, Pachirisu hot on her heels.

"Troublesome!" Paul called out in worry. She just flicked him a smile before disappearing around a corner, leaving Paul alone.

"Stupid girl." He muttered, turning his head to look at the nearby mountains. With a sigh, he continued walking.

…

After about thirty minutes, she returned. Her face bright red and tired while Pachirisu was running circles around her, small sparks coming off its cheeks.

"That…" she took a huge breath and Paul stopped walking to watch her with a raised eyebrow. "Was… freaking… tiring!"

"Hmm" Paul hummed. Dawn rolled her eyes at him before digging into her bag and yanking out a water bottle.

"Sorry I took so long. This one" she nudged Pachirisu. "Went AWOL."

"Right. Lets get moving." Paul snapped, not really caring. Dawn sent him a glare.

"Jerk." She hissed. He smirked.

"Whatever." He replied, continuing on his way.

"Men!" Dawn cried, following after him.

"I have to agree." A new voice spoke. Paul and Dawn froze.

"W-whos there?" Dawn asked, twirling around. A small chuckle was all that was heard.

Paul suddenly stepped in front of Dawn. "Show yourself." He snarled. Another loud laugh was heard before two voices rang out.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make that double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce…"

"OH SHUT UP!" Paul roared, scaring Dawn. Two people climbed out of the bush beside the road,

"I think he interrupted us James."

"I think so too Jessie."

"Well I know so!" Paul snapped. "Go away!"

Jessie and James smirked at Paul and the cowering Dawn.

"Well well well. Look who it is. The depressed twerp and the bubbly twerpette!" James cried, clapping his hands together in his usual gay way.

"Do you think they finally got together?" Jessie asked, looking at the two young adults. "You owe me twenty bucks!"

James' mouth dropped open. "Don't you mean Meowth owes you twenty? I was with you for these two to get together. Meowth was the one who thought she'd get together with that short twerp."

"Short twerp?"

"Yeah. The one that kicked your butt in that contest a while ago…" James continued. Jessie just frowned and cocked her head to the side. James sighed.

"The penguin twerp!"

Jessie face turned to rage. "HE THOUGHT THAT! DAWN! WITH KENNY! MAKES ME SICK! WELL THAT LITTLE CAT IS GOING TO GET A…" she continued ranting and raving on. Leaving James, Paul and Dawn to watch with slightly scared faces.

"Um Jessie…"

"HOW DARE HE!"

"Jessie…"

"THAT'S A HORRIBLE THOUGHT!"

"Jessie, the tw…"

"THEY'RE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

"JESSIE! THE TWERPS!" James yelled in her face. Jessie went silent before smirking.

"Oh yes. MEOWTH! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE! Rotten horrible pokemon…"

A loud clanking noise was heard and a large robot also came out of the bush. Jessie and James cackled loudly while Paul stepped back a step, forcing Dawn to do the same.

"Now. Give us your pokemon." Jessie giggled.

"No." Paul snapped.

"He wants to do this the hard way James."

"HE wants too. I don't."

"Oh grow up! Go Seviper!" she cried, throwing pokeball.

"Go Carnivine!" James called, throwing his own. Paul sighed; he had wanted to avoid a fight.

"Froslass! Use Ice Shard!" He yelled. The pokemon burst from its pokeball and instantly attacked Serviper.

"Serviper/Carnivine! Use Bite!" Jessie and James yelled at the same time.

"Froslass! Dodge!" Paul yelled, his voice desperate. Froslass quickly moved out of the way of Carnivine's huge fangs but flew straight into Serviper's line of attack in the process.

"FROSLASS!" she screamed as the giant snake bore down on her.

"PACHIRISU! SUPER FANG!" Dawn suddenly screamed, pointing at Serviper as she raced to stand by Paul. Pachirisu quickly obeyed and Serviper fell to the ground.

Froslass looked at Pachirisu who was doing a small dance in victory, and sweat dropped.

"Fros!" she called in thank you. Pachirisu just grinned.

"I'm going to help you Paul." Dawn said sternly. Paul glanced at her, and nodded.

"Froslass, Ice beam!"

"Pachirisu! Discharge!"

"Carnivine! Bind!"

"Serviper! Poison fang!"

Paul and Dawn covered their ears and eyes as every pokemon screamed out their names as they attacked. Froslass verse Serviper and Pachirisu verse Carnivine. As every attack landed, more and more dust blew up into the air.

As it cleared out, the trainers could see their pokemon standing, exhausted and breathing heavily.

"Lets wipe them out Jessie." James chuckled, grinning. Jessie smirked.

"I agree. Serviper, use Haze!"

"Carnivine! Bullet seed!"

"Froslass! Use Shadow Ball now!"

"Pachirisu! Use spark!"

All the pokemon flew at each other again; smoke coming out of Serviper's mouth, bullets out of Carnivine's and Froslass was building up a huge shadow ball to throw.

Pachirisu was charging up an electric ball.

"Paul… that's not spark…" Dawn mumbled, stepping back. Paul's face drained of colour.

"Its electro ball."

"What! Pachirisu doesn't even know that move!" Dawn cried, frightened. Paul swallowed.

"Well. It does now! GET DOWN!" he cried, throwing himself on top of her, shielding her, just as both of their pokemon let go of their attacks, causing a huge explosion.

Dawn screamed in horror as all of a sudden they were airborne.

"PAUL!" she screamed, latching on to his arm. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, securing her to him.

"DON'T LET GO" He yelled before a large piece of rock came out of nowhere, slamming into their heads.

The last thing he saw was Dawns terrified face before both of them slipped into blackness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ugh! About time I updated! Sorry but I've had major writers block but I'm on a roll again and will have the next few chapters up ASAP! thanks for the reviews! And alerts! And favourites XD! So enjoy! Sorry about Pauls major OOC in this :) **

* * *

Spots flickered in front of his eyes and his head was pounding as he woke up.

"Oh Arceus…" Paul muttered, attempting to sit up. As soon as he did, a small cry of pain came out of his mouth as his back seized up. Swearing under his breath, he looked around only to see a sympathetic looking Froslass and Pachirisu looking at him, an unconscious Dawn in front of them.

"DAWN!" he cried, scampering towards her unmoving body. He let out small groans of pain with each movement and he flinched as his back suddenly felt wet. Swallowing, he ignored it and continued towards Dawn.

"Dawn… wake up. Dawn." He mumbled, shaking her from where she lay on her stomach on the ground. There was no response. "Dawn please."

Sitting back, Paul sighed. Looking at his pokemon, he quickly questioned it.

"Froslass. What do you know?"

"Fros Fros, Froslass la lass." It said, worried about Paul's reaction.

"We're in the mountains…" he whispered, hoping Froslass was joking. Unfortunately the pokemon nodded its head in confirmation. "Shit."

He needed a plan. Looking down at Dawn again, he swallowed. Ignoring his pain for now, he rolled her over and checked her pulse, placing his ear near her mouth. He felt relief wash through him when he felt the steady pulse and her soft breathing on his cheek.

"Froslass. Where are our bags?" Paula asked, looking around. He spotted Pachirisu walking towards him, the bags slung over his tail.

"Pach." he cried, giving them to him. Paul smiled.

"Thanks." He grabbed them off the pokemon and stared rummaging through them. Finally, he yanked out all the pokeballs from both his and Dawn's bag.

"Torterra." He let out one pokemon and quickly explained the situation to it. Torterra nodded slowly, before asking what Paul wanted him to do.

"Get these guys to help you set up camp. I'll take care of Dawn." He muttered, throwing the balls out.

The pokemon jumped out, crying their names before Torterra barked at them. Soon they were all racing around trying to find a place to set up. Paul felt a tugging on his arm and saw Piplup trying to move him.

"Sorry Piplup." He mumbled, getting to his feet. He grabbed the bags and slung them over one shoulder before turning to Dawn, only to see his Ursaring scoop her up.

Shaking his head at how odd this was, he stumbled after the penguin pokemon who was leading him down a path.

"Piplup? Where are we going?" he was starting to feel a bit woozy. Clutching his head, he glared at the pokemon.

"Pip pip!" he chirped. Paul groaned. Couldn't the pokemon just say? And on that thought, where were the other pokemon?

Sighing, he stumbled after the pokemon down a narrow, windy path. It was ironic that he was having trouble while Ursaring was walking with ease, while carry Dawn, and being a huge bear.

Finally, a small cave was seen with all the pokemon crowded in it. A fire raged inside it, made from wood from Arceus knows were.

Ursaring slowly lowered Dawn to the ground beside the fire and Paul muttered a thanks while sitting down on the other side of her, Mamoswine taking the bags off him. It was now his turn to figure out what to do about their wounds.

"Weavile, Piplup. I need a hand." He called as he slowly began to strip Dawns clothes off. The two pokemon wandered over, and Buneary tagged along. Paul raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it.

"Piplup, can you find some water to use on these?" he asked, gesturing at the small cuts and bruises on her. Piplup rolled it eyes.

"Pip lup." He muttered. Paul mentally face palmed.

"Of course. Bubble beam."

"Weavile wev?" Weavile asked, not sure what he was supposed to be doing. Paul turned his attention to his pokemon.

"Can you get some rags and bandages? And some of the healing potion out of my bag? Take Buneary with you."

"Bun buneary bun eary!" Buneary cried.

"Weav!" Weavile said in agreement.

"I know that! But the healing potion also works on minor wounds for humans! Trust me." Paul sighed, not quite realizing how out of character he was acting.

The two pokemon rushed off and Paul turned back to Dawn. He had managed to get her out of most her clothes now and winced at the amount of cuts and bruises over her torso, arms and legs. While waiting for the other pokemon to come back, he balled up her clothes and handed them to Piplup.

"Can you find someone to clean them?" he asked. Piplup nodded and swapped them for the bandages Buneary was holding as the other two turned up, giving the orders to the bunny.

Quietly, Paul started to work on cleaning Dawn up, getting Piplup to clean the wounds with his bubble beam, Weavile to wipe the water away and dry off the wounds before he himself would spray on some potion then bandage it.

Within minutes they were done.

"Froslass, get me a blanket." He called. The pokemon quickly came flying forward with a blanket and Paul wrapped it tightly around Dawn. Piplup moved from Paul's side for a second before coming back and shoving a pillow under Dawns head.

"Good thinking Piplup." Paul commented, smiling slightly at the pokemon. The pokemon nodded before just looking at Paul.

"What?"

"Piplup Pip." He replied.

"My turn?"

"Lup."

Paul raised an eyebrow but slowly took off his shirt, wincing a bit. He watched as Piplup, Weavile and Froslass moved around to stare at his back. He watched in interest as they called over Buneary.

"Um, Piplup?" he started but was cut off as cold bubbles popped on his back, causing him to cry out at the stinging feeling. Cloths were then rubbed all over his back then the gentle spray of the potion. Sucking in a deep breath, Paul turned to look at what they were doing but was distracted as Buneary and Froslass started running around him in circles.

"I'm going insane." He muttered before he felt a sharp tug on his back and a grinning group of pokemon walked in front of him.

"Fros fros!" Froslass grinned, happily looking at him. Paul smiled.

"Thanks guys." They nodded before rushing off, leaving Paul alone with Dawn. Well almost alone, Piplup rushed back dragging both their bags and set out a blanket and pillow for Paul beside the unconscious girl.

Sighing, he shuffled over to sit beside her. Bringing his knees up to his chest, he glanced down at Dawn, before hesitantly reaching out and stroking her hair.

"Just wake up soon Troublesome." He whispered, ignoring the feeling that the pokemon were watching him.

Paul turned his attention to the beanie (that he had kept out of the ball of clothes needing cleaning) that was lying on top of his knees. He smiled and picked it up, twirling it around on his finger before softly lying beside their bags.

"Maybe I should see if there is anything warmer for her to wear in her bag…" he muttered, grabbing the yellow item and rummaging through it.

Out first came out her water bottle, along with her PJs which he left to the side to change her into later, then the notebook with what he 'liked' in it. Next came out her new contest dress and Paul smiled at the memory.

Even though he despised shopping, he'd been with Dawn so he didn't mind too much.

Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face. Dawn. She was certainly different. Not like the other girls he'd dated in the past.

She was confident, strong, smart, didn't back down from a fight. Mature at times but knew when to have fun. She was amazingly beautiful with her long midnight blue tresses and blue as day eyes that twinkled with joy. And she cared about him.

Paul glanced back down at Dawn and smiled slightly, stroking the back of his hand against her soft cheek.

"We're to different from each other. No matter how much you change me." He murmured.

Turning towards the pokemon watching him, he gestured towards Dawn's PJs. Buneary rushed forward dragging a freaked out Weavile. Paul chuckled slightly before digging his hand deep into Dawns bag. He frowned when a cold bottle brushed against his knuckles and he closed his hand around it, pulling it out.

His heart stopped.

It was a small heart shaped perfume bottle, pink in colour and only a little of the liquid had been used in it. He recognized it instantly. Raising it to his nose, he sniffed it.

Sweet sweet strawberry.

A huge grin tore out on his face and he laughed a little bit. He turned happily and showed it to Torterra.

"I think she remembers!" He cried. Torterra roared happily back. Smiling, Paul looked back down at the perfume.

The perfume that his mother had. The perfume that Dawn had once upon a time tipped onto him.

He looked down at the newly dressed in her PJs, Dawn and smiled. Did she really remember? He hoped so.

Leaving it lying in his lap, Paul quickly scavenged through the rest of her bag until he managed to pull out a pair of black thermal tights and a white thermal shirt that came down to just below the elbows.

"It'll do." Paul said, folding them up and placing them beside her head, beanie on top along with her pink go-go boots.

Sighing, he wriggled down under his blanket and took another small whiff of the perfume. He closed his eyes, smiling to himself and let exhaustion take over.


	14. Chapter 14

**ZOMGOSH! I haven't updated in ages! I've had lots of other Ikarishipping stories on my mind so I've been getting them down and accidentally forgetting about Lucky! Anyways, this is just a REALLY short chapter (3 pages!) but I've just about finished the next chapter so that'll be up in the next three days :) Plus there is a little bit of OOC (or a lot :/) on Paul's part but like I said, he's changing because of our favourite bubbly bluenette!**

**So enjoy! Thanks for sticking through with me on this story XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemonzzzzzz!**

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The breeze flickered through her blue hair, flicking it up and tossing it over her shoulder. A delighted smile was on her face as she held it up to the sun, letting the heat beat softly against it.

Turning her head, she looked over to see a bunch of pokemon training together. She smiled before looking at her own pokemon.

Pachirisu was curled up on top of Togekiss who was conversing with Quilava, Mamoswine and a distracted Buneary. The bunny pokemon was staring with goo-goo eyes at the training Weavile. Meanwhile, Piplup was back in the cave, sitting beside a boy who was holding his head in his hands, shooting her a look every now and again.

Dawn knew she probably should be training for the contest coming up, but she couldn't help but be distracted by the purple haired boy.

Was he always this angry? And bitter? Did he always just leave his pokemon to train on their own? Did he always look this tortured? There was something about him that was familiar.

But there was only one true question on her mind.

Who the hell was he?

…

"What in Arecus's name is going on!" Paul cried to the penguin pokemon sitting beside him. "Why can't she remember me?"

Piplup looked up sympathetically and shrugged, how would he know. Paul groaned.

"Just when I thought she might remember everything, she forgets it instead! To amnesia!"

"Pip Piplup lup pip!" Paul looked down curiously at the pokemon.

"Call Reggie?" he asked, Piplup nodded. Paul pondered over the suggestion for a minute before sighing. "Yeah. I guess I should."

He went to reach for his bag but was surprised when Piplup held up the cellphone for him. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"What where... You know what? I don't even want to know." He muttered, snatching it away from the pokemon. He quickly dialed Reggie's number.

"_Paul!" _Reggie cried, picking up the phone after the third ring. Paul face palmed, he'd forgotten about caller ID.

"Reggie. I need your help."

"_Not even a hello?"_

"This is more important! Dawn has amnesia and doesn't know who the hell I am!" Paul yelled, earning a confused look from Dawn who was moving towards him. Reggie went silent for a minute,

"_Wait… Dawn has… how?" _he just about shouted. Paul groaned but quickly explained everything.

"I don't know what to do Reggie." He finished bitterly, turning his attention to Dawn who was sitting opposite him playing with Piplup.

"_Is she around at all?"_

"She's sitting right in front of me."

"_Put her on."_

"WHAT!"

"_Do it." _

Swallowing, Paul held out the phone to a puzzled Dawn.

"What do I need this for?" she asked, reluctantly taking the phone.

"Just… take it." Paul snapped. Dawn, seeing he was frustrated, quickly put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Dawn!"_

"Oh my gosh! Reggie!" Dawn cried, giggling into the phone. Paul's mouth dropped open. She remembered him!

"_Hey Dawn! How's life treating you?"_

"Pretty good! I'm stuck on a mountain though, with some guy who I don't know. Ha! He actually looks like you!"

"_Oh really? What do you mean?"_

"Well! I'm positive that he could almost be your long lost brother if you had one!"

"_No way! Can I talk to him?" _

"Um yeah sure! But one question, who is he? I mean you were talking to him before."

"_Oh. Um that's Shinji! He's a friend!" _

"Shinji? Huh cool name! Here he is!" Dawn smiled and passed the phone to Paul. "Reggie wants to talk to you Shinji!"

Paul nodded and took it back. "So?"

"_This is bad." _

"No really! I didn't know!"

"_Shut up smartass. You need to get her to Veilstone and soon."_

"Hmph."

"_How close are you?"_

"Well, if Team Rocket hadn't caught us we could have been there by yesterday afternoon. But now we're about three days travel if we start tomorrow. And if we stay on the right track"

"_Good. Get here as soon as possible so a doctor can check her over."_

"Alright. Is there anything I can do to try get her out of this state?"

"_Just talking to her. That will get her adjusted to you so it'll make it easier to travel."_

"That didn't answer the question."

"_Look. A huge scare or a near death experience might do the trick. It has in the past, but don't you DARE even think of pushing her off a cliff or setting one of your pokemon on her. Got it?"_

"Who do you think I am!"

"_Sometimes, even I don't know. Look after her Paul." _

Suddenly the phone went silent as Reggie dropped the connection, causing Paul to yell in frustration.

"ASSHOLE!" he screamed.

"Shinji! Don't cuss!" Dawn scolded. Paul groaned.

This was going to be a long day.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Heres the update! Earlier than usual!**

**BIG FAVOUR PLEASE! I need help with my next chapter :/ should I have it away from Dawn and Paul for a while to get into what the rest of the gang is doing in Veilstone and maybe a part dedicated to the antagonist in this story? Or should I stick to the Ikari couple and have Dawn starting to remember Paul? I dunno so you guys opinions would be great! A quick note in your review would be amazing and I shall love you forever XD!**

**Anyway, Enjoy!**

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"Keep up Troublesome!"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because!"

"The name is DAWN! D.A.W.N! DAWN DAWN DAWN!"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"YOU SUCK!"

"GROW UP AND KEEP UP!"

Dawn let out a scream of frustration and glared at the back of the purple haired boy in front of her. They'd been at this for two days! TWO DAYS! And they were nowhere near finding a way down this stupid mountain.

"Shinji, accept that we're lost!"

"Not lost."

"You stubborn mule. We are!"

"Not!"

"Are!"

"Not!"

"You sound like Ash! Stubborn and stupid."

"I am nothing like that pathetic loser!"

"HE'S NOT PATHETIC!"

How the hell had she ended up with this boy? She had a feeling she knew him from somewhere but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Shinji, how do I know you?" Dawn asked for what felt like the millionth time. He turned to face her.

"I'm one of Reggie's friends. We were walking down the same road when Team Rocket attacked us and we got caught in the same explosion." He lied fluently. Dawn frowned. It sounded a bit too far-fetched but it was all she had.

"Oh." She replied before falling into silence. He looked down at her with angry eyes, before they turned soft. Resisting the urge to reach out and touch her, he turned away.

"Lets get moving." He mumbled. She nodded her head and followed behind him. He sighed,

He sure missed her.

…

"Shinji! Can we please stop?"

Paul's fists clenched as she once again called him Shinji. Couldn't she just remember him already? He let out a frustrated breath and glanced at her. She looked pretty ragged.

"Fine. Lets find some place to set up camp." He muttered, stalking to the side to look for a little alcove. Dawn giggled in delight and followed.

"How about there?" she asked pointing towards a small cave in the mountain wall. Paul looked at it and shrugged.

"Why not." He slowly walked over and seeing how dark it was, grabbed a torch and Weaviles pokeball (being his smallest pokemon) out of his bag. Flicking on the light, he advanced into the cave.

As Dawn watched, her arms behind her back and nibbling on her bottom lip, she couldn't help but admire Paul. He was the strong silent type, the complete opposite of her, but he was so handsome. He had amazing black eyes, beautiful tanned skin, and stunning purple hair that made her want to run her hands through it. His lips were the perfect shape so that if he ever smiled it would light his eyes up like fireworks.

"OI!"

Dawn snapped out of her thoughts to see Paul glaring at her, frustration evident on his face. Why was he so frustrated all the time?

"Sorry! I was thinking…" she was cut off as Paul just turned on his heel and stormed into the cave. Sighing, she followed.

As soon as she was inside though, Dawn dropped her bag and sprawled out on the ground, letting out a sigh of content and closing her eyes.

"Finally!" she cried. When all that she heard in response was an 'hmph', she cracked an eye open only to see Paul setting up camp, as well as rummaging through her bag.

"HEY! What the hell!" she screamed, lunging for her bag, Paul replied by grabbing her wrist to stop her, pulling the bag out of reach and dragging out her pokeballs.

"Shut up Troublesome." He snapped, throwing her hand away and letting out the pokemon who instantly went to work on making a fire. Dawn stood up, a frown on her face and her arms tightly crossed.

"You could have asked!"

"I said shut up!" he snarled, giving her a death glare that chilled her to the bone. Dawn saw there was something else bugging him that wasn't her talking. Not that it stopped her from exploding.

"WHAT THE HELL SHINJI!" she screamed, not seeing his fists tighten at the name. "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?"

"YOU!" He screamed back, rage taking over his face causing Dawn to instantly back down. Well almost.

"How am I your problem?" she spat. Paul glared at her. He couldn't tell her why. He couldn't say it was because she didn't remember him.

"…" He opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the rest of her furious outburst.

"I don't even know you!"

He froze. His blood chilled and he felt his stomach drop.

She was right,

Dawn didn't know him. Well this Dawn didn't. She couldn't remember him at all. She couldn't remember everything he told her, she couldn't remember their shopping trip of hell, she couldn't remember their fruity fight, she couldn't remember him sleeping in her arms, she couldn't remember their playful fights, she couldn't remember how protective he had been.

She couldn't remember their childhood.

Paul felt a rush of pain wash over him and it took everything he had not to fall to his knees. Who knew something like this could take so much out of him? Glancing up at Dawn, he saw her face turn to shock.

"Sh-shinji?

Ignoring her, he grabbed his backpack and returned his pokemon before grabbing her arm and dragging her out the cave.

"Take that path over there in the morning. It'll lead you straight to Veilstone where everyone is waiting for you." He muttered before turning away and walking the way they had come.

Dawn's eyes widened when she realized what was going on. "SHNJI!" she cried,

Paul's fists clenched again at the name and he felt a surge of hate aimed towards Dawn.

"What?" he spat over his shoulder, not even looking at her.

"Where are you going?"

"Away." He snarled, continuing to walk. Dawn's mouth dropped open.

"What! Why?" she cried, chasing after him. He whirled around.

"Because you don't know me! What's the point in being with someone you don't know?" he snapped, his voice cruel and harsh. Dawn recoiled.

"Please don't go Shinji. I need you! I don't want to be alone!"

"No."

"Please Shinji! We can get to know each other! Maybe be friends?" she begged, tears appearing in her eyes. She had no idea why she wanted him around so bad. Something was just telling her that she needed him.

Paul looked at her, his mind running wild.

What if he did stay with her? What if he did get to know her… as Shinji? What if he made a new identity with new aspirations? New friends? No siblings? Started from scratch? Would he really do that for Dawn?

The idea was amazing in his eyes. Reggie would understand. Drew would understand. He could do it. It wasn't like it was impossible.

Or should her just give up? Be the broken, dangerous man he was?

Paul glanced at Dawns hopeful, scared face and swallowed. He had to make the decision, now.

Shinji, the perfect man? Or Paul, the broken man?

"Shinji?"

He looked up, their eyes locking.

"I'll take you to Veilstone. Then we go our separate ways." He mumbled. Dawn grinned and threw herself at him in a hug he didn't return. His heart broke slightly.

He refused to be Shinji.

He refused to lie to himself.


	16. Chapter 16

**I AM SOOOOO SORRY! I suck at updating :( I hit major writers block so this is actually really cruddy I think but better than nothing? Maybe?  
**

**Anyway, hopefully the next chapter is better. Just so you all know, Paul is going into OOC mode kinda from now on. (Then again, how can you blame him with what he's gone through) so I'm up to the 'destroy ALL of Paul stage'. Yeah.**

**So enjoy :) and I'll try updating ASAP! **

* * *

Dawn sighed to herself as she sat staring into the fire. It had been two days since her and Paul's fight, and they weren't any closer than they had started out.

A small groan caught her attention, making her look towards the sleeping figure on the other side of the fire. His face was scrunched up in what looked like distress, his hair sticking to his face, his face a little pale and he kept thrashing around in his sleep.

"What's wrong with him Piplup?" Dawn asked, tearing her eyes from the man and looking at her pokemon. "Why is he having these nightmares?"

"Pip Pip Piplup Pip" the pokemon replied, glancing up at his trainer. She sighed and looked away.

"Who is he? Who is he really Piplup? I know you know."

"Pip pi…"

"Don't give me the 'I can't tell you' crap, Piplup! Just tell me!"

"PIPLUP!"

"But I don't know who he is! I have no clue! How am I supposed too remember him if I have no hints? Do you have hints for me?"

Piplup's eyes widened before a huge grin appeared on his face. Within seconds, he was on his feet and rummaging through her bag. Dawn watched with a raised eyebrow as Piplup yanked out a book and a bottle of perfume.

"Um? Piplup?"

"PIP!"

"Don't tell me to be silent!"

"PIP!"

"FINE!" she dropped into silence as the pokemon raced over to her again, sitting neatly beside her.

"Piplup lup pip pip lup lup Piplup" he chirped, handing her the book. Dawn frowned as she took it.

"My peoples journal?" she asked, opening it. A photo of her and her mother stared at her from the first page and she smiled. "Piplup. What's this got to do with knowing who he is?"

Piplup just looked at her, almost wondering if she was really that stupid. Luckily, Dawn suddenly clicked and started furiously flicking through the pages.

"Shinji, Shinji, Shinji… there's no Shinji! Only a Paul Shinji…. Who the hell is that?" she muttered, glaring at the page as if a bright neon arrow would suddenly jump out pointing as to who it was. Piplup face palmed, or in his case face flippered, and quickly turned over the page, showing the picture Dawn had drawn of Paul.

"But that's Shinji." She said. Piplup groaned and smacked her forehead.

"Lup."

"Don't call me an idiot!" she growled, looking back at the picture. "Are you saying… Shinji is really Paul?" Piplup nodded furiously and Dawn frowned.

"How…" she was cut off as a flashback slammed into her.

"_If we're going to travel together you need to learn to shut. The. Hell. UP" Paul snapped. _

"_Well excuse me your rudeness!" Dawn hissed back, hand on her hips. "If we're gonna travel together you have to realize that I'm. Not. Going. To. Shut. Up!" _

"_Your rudeness?" Paul asked, a smirk on his face. "That the best you can up with. You're losing your touch Troublesome."_

"_SHUT UP PAUL! At least I'm not a stuck up GRAPE head!" _

_Paul's eyebrows shot up, "Grape head? Why that's a new one. Congratulations on insulting me like a five year-old!" he cheered sarcastically._

_Dawn glared at the eighteen year-old. "I hate you." _

_He rolled his eyes again. "Don't care. Lets go." _

"_Wait! We obviously don't want to travel together. So why don't we just split up and meet outside Veilstone city?" _

_He shot her a nasty glare. "One, Ketchum obviously doesn't think we can travel together, I plan on proving him wrong and have you EVER traveled to Veilstone by yourself?" _

_When she shook her head he smirked. _

"_You see, this road is FULL of POWERFUL pokemon that could KILL you with a single swipe. Your weaklings that you call pokemon couldn't handle two seconds in battle with one."_

_Dawn was quiet for a moment before a bright smile appeared on her face._

"_And you just want to travel with me don't you Paul!" she giggled. Paul groaned._

"_No. I just don't want Ketchum to blame me for your death for the next ten years." He snapped. Another grin jumped on her face._

"_So you plan on knowing us for the next ten years then?" she asked. _

"_Just move." He hissed, walking towards the nearby forest._

"Oh Arceus…" Dawn whispered. Piplup smirked.

"Piplup Piplup?"

"Yeah… I do remember him." She turned to glare at the sleeping man. "Heartless bastard!"

Piplup groaned. So she only remembered the bad things. Great.

"Pip Piplup pip pip lup!"

"What?"

"PIPLUP!"

"Ok ok! I'll try remembering more!"

"Piplup Piplup lup pip."

"Remember Protective Paul?" she frowned as Piplup nodded. "I don't remember a Protect…"

_Paul and Dawn covered their ears and eyes as every pokemon screamed out their names as they attacked. Froslass vs. Serviper and Pachirisu vs. Carnivine. As every attack landed, more and more dust blew up into the air._

_As it cleared out, the trainers could see their pokemon standing, exhausted and breathing heavily._

"_Lets wipe them out Jessie." James chuckled, grinning. Jessie smirked._

"_I agree. Serviper, use Haze!"_

"_Carnivine! Bullet seed!"_

"_Froslass! Use Shadow Ball now!"_

"_Pachirisu! Use spark!"_

_All the pokemon flew at each other again; smoke coming out of Servipers mouth, bullets out of Carnivines and Froslass was building up a huge shadow ball to throw._

_Pachirisu was charging up an electric ball._

"_Paul… that's not spark…" Dawn mumbled, stepping back. Paul's face drained of colour._

"_Its electro ball."_

"_What! Pachirisu doesn't even know that move!" Dawn cried, frightened. Paul swallowed._

"_Well. It does now! GET DOWN!" he cried, throwing himself on top of her, shielding her, just as both of their pokemon let go of their attacks, causing a huge explosion._

_Dawn screamed in horror, as all of a sudden they were airborne. _

"_PAUL!" she screamed, latching on to his arm. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, securing her to him._

"_DON'T LET GO" He yelled before a large piece of rock came out of nowhere, slamming into their heads._

_The last thing he saw was Dawns terrified face before both of them slipped into blackness._

Piplup smirked at Dawn as she recovered from another flashback. She shook her head.

"Piplup. What the hell?"

"Pip pip pip Piplup Piplup lup pip lup lup lup"

"YOU WHAT?"

"Pip."

"Don't you sorry me! You drugged me? So now… I'm getting these flashbacks?" she squealed, horrified. Piplup nodded.

"Lup lup lup pip, Piplup."

"So… now if you say some sort of… quality… like protective, or smart, or funny or something like that, I go back to a flashback of that?" she asked. Piplup grinned and nodded.

"So this is supposed to help me remember?"

"Pip."

"Where did you get this drug?"

"Pip pip pip!"

"Buneary and Weavile?" Piplup nodded.

"But.."

"PIPLUP PIP!"

"_Amazing!" Dawn cried as a bubble drifted in front of her. "Paul! Was that cool or what!" she and the pokemon rushed over to the standing trainer, who held a bubble softly in his hand._

"_Paul?" _

"_It was pathetic." He suddenly snarled, clenching his fist and bursting the bubble. _

"_You… You hated it?" Dawn asked, her lip trembling. She watching in horror as he threw the leaf to the ground and stood on it._

"_Yes you idiot. I hated it. It was pathetic, childish and down right stupid." He snapped._

"_But-But I liked it…. I thought you would to!"_

"_WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG!" he thundered. Turning on his heel, he stormed away towards the pokemon centre. Dawn felt tears in her eyes._

"_But… it was amazing" she muttered just as a bubble popped over her head, drenching her._

Dawn sighed. "Angry Paul?" Piplup nodded. "How long do you plan on keeping this up?"

"Pip lup"

"Few hours? Do I really have to do this?" the look on Piplups face was a good enough answer.

…

"Sad Paul?"

"Pip!"

Paul's eyes cracked open as he heard the happy cheering of the penguin pokemon and the laugh of Dawn. With a small groan, he sat up and whipped his eyes of sleep.

"Troublesome?" he mumbled, looking over at the blue haired beauty.

"Shinji!" she cried, grinning at him. Paul sighed, not catching the wink Dawn sent Piplup. So maybe he had been dreaming. She didn't remember him.

"Hmph." He grunted, pushing away his blanket and getting to his feet. Dawn frowned.

"You ok?"

"Fine." He muttered, slipping on his shoes.

"Where are you going?"

"To train."

"P-Shinji… its dark outside."

"Whatever." Was all he replied storming out of the cave. Dawn sighed.

"Maybe this isn't such a good plan Piplup. I remember him, everything, right down to our childhood." She said, gesturing at the perfume bottle.

"Pip Piplup."

"My call?"

"Pip." Dawn sighed. She wanted to see if Paul really was honorable. To see if he really wouldn't try taking advantage of her in her 'amnesia' state. She sighed again.

"One day. One day and then I tell him."


	17. Chapter 17

**Sooo! Thanks to Lynx of the Sand  I'm updating pretty quick! Oh and so AnimexLuver4Ever doesn't die! Can't lose a awesome reviewer and writer like yoouuu!**

**There is only a little bit of fluff in this BUT there will be more! If you have ANY questions, just pop it in a review and I'll try answering it!**

**Anyways! Enjoy!**

* * *

"What should I do Weavile?"

"Weav weav, wea vile."

"Fight for her? Honestly? I can't be bothered fighting. I've had enough."

Weavile sighed as he looked up at his master who smiled sadly down at him. He didn't want Paul to give up. It was obvious he loved Dawn, so obvious.

"My heart can't take this anymore." Paul whispered, staring at his hands as he sat down on a nearby rock, Weavile taking a seat on the ground in front of him. "Its just too much."

Weavile stared at his master curiously, wondering why all of a sudden he was different. Why he was sad and weak not stern and strong like usual. Why he was even talking to his pokemon when he usually liked solitude.

"We should go." Paul stated, dropping his hands to rest on his knees. "When the others get back from scouting the area, and hopefully finding a path to Veilstone, we'll take Dawn, drop her off and just go."

"Weavile Weav?"

"I won't be abandoning her. She'll have Ash, Brock, Drew and the others."

"Weav Weav."

"No, not me."

"Weav…" Paul sighed and dropped his head, letting his hair turn into a curtain blocking his face. Weavile frowned. He didn't like this Paul.

"HONCHCROW!"

"FROS FROSLASS!"

Paul's head snapped up at the yells of his pokemon, only to see Froslass glaring at his Honchkrow and an exhausted looking Torterra between them.

"Tor tor Torterra terra." He croaked, dropping down beside Weavile who raised an eyebrow.

"They've been fighting over what?" Paul asked. Torterra groaned.

"Tor tor."

"You don't know?"

"Terra…"

"SHINJI!" Paul sighed and turned to see Dawn racing towards him, both their bags slung over her shoulder, Piplup, Pachirisu and Buneary following. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Hmph." He grunted turning back to his pokemon. "Did you guys find a path?"

"Torterra terra."

"Where?"

Torterra gestured at Honchkrow who gave Froslass a quick glare before flying up into the air and jerking its head to get Paul to follow it. Paul nodded.

"Torterra, Froslass, return." He muttered, throwing the balls in the air. The two pokemon quickly disappeared and Dawn did the same for Pachirisu and Piplup.

"What about Buneary?" Paul asked. She smiled.

"Well, you've kept out Weavile…"

"Just in case of attack."

"…and I know the two are in looove so maybe they can spend sometime together!" she grinned at him but Paul only glared back.

"No." was all he said and quickly returned Weavile and grabbed his bag. Dawn frowned but returned her bunny pokemon as well before jogging after Paul as he walked after his Honchkrow.

"Shinji. Why you gotta be such a bad guy?" she asked. He frowned.

"I'm not bad."

"You always act bad."

"Ever thought there was a reason?" he snapped causing Dawn to recoil at the amount of venom in his voice.

"I-I…"

"Just shut up."

They lapsed into uncomfortable silence. Leaving Dawn to just watch Paul, watch as he trudged behind his pokemon, hands in his pockets, jaw tight, hair hanging over his face concealing his eyes. She sighed. Her idea was a stupid one.

"Look Pa-"

"I said shut up."

"But…" he ignored her, choosing to just keep walking. "Don't ignore me!"

When the only reaction she got from him was him returning his pokemon, her insides boiled.

"OI! I'M TALKING HERE!" she yelled, once again getting no reaction from him. She growled under breath, too fired up to feel some of the rock along the narrow path they were walking on crumble under her feet and fall off the sheer drop beside her.

"You asshole. You stuck up, twisted, vicious, nasty self centered JERK!" she screamed at him, he once again ignored her, seeming unfazed by the yelling.

"Why you little…" more rock crumbled, causing her to slip but she didn't care. Her only goal at that moment was to get Paul to acknowledge her.

"Would you talk to me if I remembered you?" she watched as his back stiffened. "If I knew that your real name was really… PAUL!"

She screamed his name at the top of her lungs as once again the rock crumbled, causing her to lose her footing and plummet off the mountain. Paul's eyes widened and he turned around in time to see her fall.

"DAWN!" he yelled, helplessly trying to grab her hand. When that failed, causing Dawn to scream more, he yanked out a pokeball.

"Torterra! Vine whip!" he shouted as he let out his pokemon before doing one of the most stupidest things ever.

Jumping off after her.

"PAUL! NO!" she screamed again, trying hard not to think about the hard, cold ground that was rushing up to meet her. But it was to late, Paul was dropping after her, angling himself so he would get to her faster.

"Dawn! Hold on!" he yelled over the wind, stretching out a hand. Dawn clumsily reached for it, only to have her fingers slip.

"No..!" she whispered as a huge gust of wind knocked her up and away from him.

"HURRY UP TORTERRA!" Paul screamed as he kept plummeting down, Dawn now above (but still falling) him. Almost instantly, he felt a vine wrap itself around his midsection, causing him to halt in mid air.

"DAWN! GRAB ON!" he yelled, flinging his hand out to the girl as she got closer to him. Quickly she managed to do just that.

"P-Paul.." she cried, tears threatening in her eyes. Paul swallowed, feeling her slip again.

"Other hand, give me your other hand." He ordered, holding out his own. Dawn nodded and reached out. Paul quickly grabbed her wrist and began yanking her up until his arms where locked tightly around her waist and hers around his neck.

"Torterra!" he yelled up. "Get us to some sort of path or ledge!"

Torterra sighed in relief as he heard his masters voice and began moving down the path he was on, pulling Dawn and Paul closer to the mountains face while looking for some place to set them down. He spotted what looked like a path that led straight to the bottom and aimed for it. Soon Paul and Dawn where on safe, hard ground.

"Thanks." Paul yelled, hearing Torterra welcoming roar before grabbing the pokemons pokeball out of his pocket and returning him.

Turning his attention to the girl in his arms, he sighed.

"Are you ok?" he asked, lowering her into a sitting position on the ground, her body trembling.

"I-I…" not able to speak, she just nodded before bursting into tears.

"Ssssh. Its ok." Paul mumbled, not knowing what to do. Looking up at him, Dawn childishly held out her arms as if for a hug. Paul swallowed before obeying.

"I'm so sorry Dawn." he whispered as he held her tightly in his arms. She buried her head in his chest.

"No, I'm sorry Paul." She cried. He frowned before stroking her hair.

"Y-You remember me?" he asked, but got no reply. Sighing, he got to his feet and pulled up Dawn. "Right, from the looks of it, this path also leads straight to the bottom to the forest. We need to go."

He started walking but Dawn let out a whimper and grabbed his arm.

"Don't leave me!" she begged. He frowned.

"I'm not leaving you Dawn, just this path is too narrow for the both of us to walk side by side."

Her bottom lip trembled and Paul sighed. He should be more sensitive, she had just about died.

"Here." He mumbled, holding out his hand. "Take it."

Dawn looked at his hand before giving him a watery smile and slipping her hand in his. Paul jumped at how cold it was. Quickly he dived into his bag with his free hand and yanked out a pair of fingerless gloves.

"They might be a bit big but put them on." He said, handing them to her. Dawn quickly obeyed, slipping the dark purple and black gloves on. They were much too big but they were better than nothing.

"T-thank you." She stuttered, taking his hand again. He gave her a small smile and tugged on her arm.

"Come on."

"Wait." She smiled lightly and walked forward. "Thank you for saving me, Paul."

"Its not like I was just gonna let you die." He snorted. She smiled.

"Still, thank you." She stepped forward again and lightly pressed her lips to his cheek. Paul blushed bright red and she gave his hand a squeeze.

"N-no problem." He whispered, his voice barely audible.


	18. Chapter 18

**HOLY! Its been ageeeees since I updated! Soooo sorry! I had huge writers block but I'm pretty sure I'm back on track! Plus I'm writing another Ikarishipping story! :DDDDD!**

**Anyway, this chapter is one that kinda fully supports the M rating. So... if your not into the whole sexual content thing, I'd suggest skipping some of this chapter.**

**Enjoy! I'll try updating sooner! (Oh and thanks EVERYONE for the reviews!)**

* * *

Paul let out a sigh as finally stepped off the rocky terrain of the mountain, enjoying the feel of the spongy grass and the smells of the forest.

"You all right Dawn?" he called to the girl behind him, clinging to his arm, her hand in his.

"Y-yes…" she whispered, still in shock from her near-death experience. Paul smiled slightly at her.

"Come on, let's set up camp somewhere."

Slowly, he led her forward more into the forest, searching for a place to rest. He felt Dawn trembling still and he let out a small sigh. He really didn't know what to do about her. Sure she remembered him but there was something nagging him about it. Something that just didn't fit in.

"Weavile, Froslass. Help us find a place to camp. Near some water or something." He said as he threw out two pokeballs. Both pokemon let out greetings before scuttling off even deeper in to the forest.

"P-Piplup… you too" Dawn stuttered, throwing out her own pokemon. Piplup took one look at her before shaking his head and climbing up on Paul's shoulder to be nearer to her.

Normally Paul would have shrugged the pokemon off but he was willing to make an exception just this once. Mainly because Dawn needed some company right now and secondly because he had no idea how the hell Piplup managed to climb! Let alone climb up him!

"WEA WEA!"

"FROS!"

Paul heard the cries of his pokemon and quickly started heading that was only to be intercepted by a proud Froslass. She led him to a small clearing in front of a river with very clear water.

"Thanks guys." Paul said, smiling at them. "Shall we start up camp?"

"Pip Pip Piplup!" Piplup suddenly cried. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to give her a what?" he snapped. Piplup smirked, especially when Froslass and Weavile stood beside him.

"Paul? What's going on?" Dawn asked. Paul gulped and looked at her.

"They're gonna take care of camp. We on the other hand, get…."

"PIPLUP PIPLUP!"

"Yeah… Bath time."

…

Dawn sighed as she slipped into the cold water of the river, her bikini stuck to her skin all of a sudden and her long hair flowing out behind her with only the tips submerged in water.

"Come on Paul. Get it!" she chirped, feeling happy all of a sudden. Paul looked at her from the bank with raised eyebrow.

"I don't have to." He snarled. She giggled.

"I'll drag you I here if I have too!"

Paul groaned but got to his feet and yanked off his top, so that he was just in the swimming trunks his pokemon had forced him into. Black with a purple vine pattern wrapped around one leg.

Dawn watched in awe as he took of his top. His tan chest was perfectly molded, his muscles rippling slightly. She had to close her mouth or she'd probably be drooling.

Silently, Paul slid into the water, swimming over to her. "Happy now?"

"Very…" Dawn whispered, staring at him with wonder. He smiled.

"Good." Was all he said before he completely submerged himself completely. Dawn eyes went wide for a minute before he popped back up, throwing his head slightly so his hair didn't cling to his face too much.

Dawn couldn't help but stare. When he stood up, he was only up to his waist in water, causing small droplets of water to cling to his chest and run down it, his purple hair was flicked to the side, stuck to his neck with more water droplets dripping off that, his onyx black eyes were twinkling slightly and a very cheeky grin was present on his face.

To sum up, he was HOT.

"Dawn?" she shook herself out of her little world as Paul waved a hand in front of her face. "You still there?"

"Sorry what?" she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

"I was just saying, your bikini top has fallen down. I'm getting a bit to much to look at." Was all he said. Dawn's eyes went wide and sure enough as she looked down, one side of her bikini top had fallen down, giving Paul more than an eye full.

"EEEKKKK!" she screamed, throwing her self under water and yanking up the top. Paul on the other hand died laughing.

"YOU STUPID JERK!' She yelled, causing him to laugh more. She stood up, prepared to yell even more when she felt the cool air on her chest again. Looking down she realized that the top had fallen down on both sides. She let out another scream and attempted to yank it up, only to hear a rip.

Paul kept laughing, not really caring about the fact that there was a topless girl standing in front of him.

"It… it ripped." Dawn mumbled, holding up the bikini top while attempting to cover herself up. Paul took a look at her only to stop laughing at seeing the tears in her eyes.

"Hey hey…" he mumbled, swimming over to her. "Its ok." Silently he took her in his arms and stroked her hair. "Its ok."

"P-Paul?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm kinda naked you know."

Paul pulled away, turning bright red only to see Dawn giggle, but also to see her pale chest. Her full pale chest.

His mouth fell open slightly as he gazed at her, causing her to turn bright red. "Wow…"

"LOOK AWAY!" she screeched, throwing water at him. He laughed, his eyes partly closed only to feel something slam into his face, Opening both eyes, he choked on some air when he realized it was her bikini top.

"Um Dawn?"

"GIVE IT BACK!" she screamed, slamming into him and wrenching it away.

"YOU THREW IT AT ME!"

"I DIDN'T MEAN TOO!"

"YES YOU DID!"

"NO I-" she was interrupted as she felt something stick into her…. Something below the water.

"Paul…" she turned to see him bright red and trying to move away from her. Dawn's mouth dropped open.

"Did you… did you just get a..?"

"Shut up."

"YOU DID! OHMYGOD PAUL!" she screamed, horrified.

"IMAGINE HOW I FEEL!"

"Obviously horny…" she said with a smirk, moving towards him, planning to tease him. He blushed even redder.

"No."

"Yes… you feel attracted to me don't you Paul."

"N-no." he mumbled backing away even further. Dawn grinned, he was stuttering.

"You wanna touch me… you wanna kiss me… you wanna-" once again she was cut off as she bumped into him, not realizing he had backed right up against the bank. Slowly she swallowed as she saw the lust in his eyes. He took her shoulders suddenly, turning her so her back was pressed against the bank and he was pressed against her front.

"I wanna what?" he whispered, cupping her cheek before pressing his lips tight against hers.

She gasped. His lips were soft, soft and warm. Smiling, she instantly kissed back, surprised that their lips didn't need to mold to fit each other, they just fitted perfectly.

"Paul…" she whispered as he pulled back. He smiled down at her, his arms moving down through the water to her thighs, hitching her up so he was between her legs. She gasped again as she felt him rubbing against her. "Oh Paul…"

Silently, he kissed her again, deepening it this time, letting his lust take over. She moaned at the feel of his tongue in her mouth, taking over. Her eyes snapped open when suddenly she was being lifted out of the water. Paul pulled away for a moment, locking eyes with Weavile who quickly shoved the other pokemon in their pokeballs before doing the same.

Paul smiled before pulling Dawn completely out of the water, lying her back down on the grass. He took a moment to admire her body before kissing her once more, fitting back in between her legs, his hands exploring her body.

"Paul..." She whispered, pulling away. He gazed at her, his eyes on fire.

"We don't have to…" he mumbled, his hands caressing her hips. She sighed and squeezed his hips with her thighs.

"I want to…" she moaned, dragging him into another kiss.

…

"Well well well. Looks like our little Paulie is finally get some action."

A dark figure sat on the back of a Pigeot, an evil smirk on his face as he watched the two down by the river.

"Its about time. I can finally extract revenge can't I?"

"Pid…ge.." the poor pokemon said, breathing heavily.

"Oh brighten up, or you won't get fed again tonight. Now, MOVE." He cackled, slamming a whip into the pokemon's back causing it to cry out in pain but start flying.

"Until Veilstone Paul… until Veilstone…" he laughed, his glasses flashing evilly.


	19. Chapter 19

**HOLY! I haven't updated in forever! I am soooooo sorry! And this chapter ain't even that good! But it will be next time! So sorry bout the wait guys!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon :) **

* * *

Weavile sat in between Piplup and Buneary, staring at their masters underneath the blanket Piplup and Weavile had thrown over them. Quilava and Torterra were working together to dry the clothes left on the ground and packing the bags.

A small groan alerted them to Paul waking up. Quickly, Piplup and Weavile raced forward.

"Ugh, what happened?" Paul mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Pip Piplup!"

"What do you mean I slep-" Paul was cut off as he felt an arm slither around his bare leg. Looking down, he spotted Dawn snuggling into his side.

"ARGH!" he yelled, flinging himself away. Dawn's eyes burst open as she saw the naked Paul scampering away.

"PAUL! Why are you naked?" she screeched.

"Speak for yourself!" he yelled back, snatching a pair of pants off a sniggering Weavile.

Dawn frowned and looked down, screaming when she realized she too was naked.

"OHMYGOD!" She screamed, yanking up the blanket. "PAUL!"

"Just… shut up" Paul muttered, grabbing the rest of his clothes from Torterra and storming into the forest, both his pokemon following him.

"Why the hell didn't you stop me Weavile?" he snarled, glaring at his pokemon with anger. "You know it was wrong!"

"Weav Wea Weavile!"

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS BEST! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH DANGER SHE MIGHT BE IN?" Paul roared. Weavile's eyes started watering.

"Wea Wea…"

"STOP GIVING EXCUSES! WHAT YOU DID WAS UNFORGIVABLE!"

"TORTERRA!"

Paul turned his furious glare onto Torterra. "Don't tell me to stop!" he spat.

"Tor Tor Torterra"

"It is his fault! He had the power to stop me but no! He didn't!"

"Tor terra!"

"I'm not going to stop blaming him! Dawn… Dawn…" suddenly Paul just dropped to the ground and curled into a ball.

"Torterra…" the pokemon mumbled, plopping down beside him, Weavile took the other side.

"Goddamn it." Paul muttered. "I hate myself. I hate hate HATE myself. Its my fault!"

"Weavile Wea Weavile!"

"No… I should have shown self control!"

"Tor-"

"Its my fault!"

"Torterra Terra Tor Tor!" Paul frowned as he looked at his pokemon.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Torterra, Tor Tor Terra Torterra"

"I know Conway isn't around but that doesn't mean that he won't find out! You know he's after me and who ever I fall in love with! You also know he won't ever stop, he will wait patiently for revenge!"

"Tor Terra Tor Torterra…"

Paul turned bright red. "I don't know about that…"

Torterra's mouth dropped open. Paul might be… in love… with Dawn?

"We'd better get back." Paul muttered, getting to his feet. "Come on."

"WEA WEA!" Weavile cried, running in front of him and holding out the rest of his clothes. Paul turned bright red.

"Oh yeah…" he murmured, snatching them off the pokemon and shoving them on.

…

Dawn bit her lip as she sat on the ground, now fully clothed and stared at her hands. What had she done? She knew Paul didn't love her! And she'd promised herself when she was younger to stay a virgin till marriage. And she would only marry for love…

"I always knew I wouldn't keep that promise…" she mumbled before hugging herself and fighting back tears. "I wonder if it was his first time as well?"

Slowly, she got to her feet and grabbed her bag. She needed to get out of here, away from him.

"Dawn?"

She whirled around in shock. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing at the edge of the clearing.

Conway.

He smiled, his glasses flashing. Dawn swallowed. This wasn't good.

"C-Conway… what are you doing here?" she stuttered, biting her lip again. He smirked and moved forward, causing her to take a step back.

"I heard you screaming and I was wondering if you were ok." He said, closing the gap between them and taking hold of her shoulders. She felt terror slip through her. This guy's father was a murderer. HE could be a murderer!

"Um thanks? It's all goods here! No need to worry!" she grinned, giving him a thumbs up. Slowly, Conway shook his head and directed her to sit down beside him on the ground.

"I know you're not ok, you look close to tears. Talk to me Dawn! We are friends right?"

She frowned. It was true. They were friends and who knows? Maybe he's not like his father! She looked into his eyes, and saw only curiosity and compassion in his eyes.

"I… yeah we are." She looked at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "I-I slept with Paul…" she cried, bursting into tears. Conway's eyes widened as he hugged her, rubbing her back.

"Paul Lopez?"

"Yes… and to make it worse… I think I love him!" she continued to cry into his chest, sobs ripping from her throat.

"D-Dawn, its ok." He mumbled, stroking her back. "Its ok…"

She pulled away from him. "No its not! He doesn't love me back! I was stupid, so stupid! I hate myself!"

Dawn jumped to her feet, slamming her fist into a nearby tree. Conway instantly got to his feet as well, grabbing her hands.

"Dawn, listen to me. Listen to me!" he looked down at her, his eyes sympathetic. "You shouldn't hate yourself. He's the one who did this too you."

Her eyes widened. Could that be true? No, she was the one who fell for his charms. Suddenly, a loud crack made their heads both shot up.

"I think he's coming back." Dawn said, looking over at the shaking bushes. Conway paled.

"I better go then. Paul and I aren't on very good terms." He glanced down at her, offering a smile and a piece of paper. "Look Dawn, if you ever need me, just call this number and I'll come running ok?"

She took the paper off of him, holding in her hands. "Thanks Conway." She gave him a quick hug before he turned on his heel and disappeared into the bush.

…

Paul burst through the bush to see Dawn standing in the middle of the clearing, her eyes locked on something in her hand.

"Troublesome? You all right?" he called, making his way over to her, Torterra and Weavile following. She jumped and looked up at him.

"I… yeah." Was all she said before scooping up her bag. "You ready to go?"

He frowned. "Wait a minute. About last night…"

"Look, I understand. Last night was nothing but a quick fling. You don't love me, I don't love you. Clear as that. Lets just get to Veilstone today and then you can get your things and go." She interrupted, shooting him a look. "So hurry up."

Paul's mouth fell open as she turned her back on him, his heart felt crushed. She didn't love him…?

"Wait, Dawn!" he caught her hand and she whirled round to glare at him.

"You know, I stupidly wondered why we promised each other marriage when we were little! I mean, we might not have met up again. We might have moved on. One of us might have died! But I didn't think of the obvious reason! What if we didn't even love each other!"

He stared at her, shocked. Did she really mean this? "You know Paul, we were stupid little kids. We don't love each other." She wrenched her hand out of his grip and walked away, trying to hold back the obvious tears.

"But… I love you…" he whispered under his breath, watching her walk away. Slowly, he picked up his bag and followed after her.


	20. Chapter 20

**OMG! I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS! Hehe... yeah.. so sorry about that long LONG wait guys! But yes! Please enjoy!**

**On a side note, PLEASEEEEEE check out xotennisloverxo SHE IS SOOOOO AMAZING! Please check her out!**

**Disclaimer: I totally don't own pokemon :(**

* * *

Dawn sighed as she trudged along the road, Veilstone beginning to loom up in front of her. She couldn't wait to get there! Paul had texted ahead to tell the others to meet them just as they were coming in…

Paul…

She glanced over at the quiet purple-haired man beside. His head was down, hair covering his face with his fists shoved deeply into his pockets. Dawn didn't know what was wrong, he hadn't said a word or even made a sound since they had left the clearing.

Was she maybe wrong? Was she wrong about him loving her?

'_Don't be stupid.' _She hissed in her head. _'He doesn't love you, you don't know anything. You're nothing but a pathetic child.'_

Biting her lip, Dawn looked away from Paul and stared at the ground. Oh how she hated herself right now.

"DAWN! PAUL!" a loud yell rang out, causing Dawn to look up as well as a few other travelers around them before moving on. A small smile attacked Dawns lips as she saw Ash, May, Drew and Gary sprinting towards them.

"HEY GUYS!" she cried, breaking into a jog to reach them. She had to admit she was surprised when Paul ignored her and kept walking slowly behind her. Sighing, she turned to look at were she was going just as she collided with May.

"OOF!" they both cried, slamming to the ground with May on top. They were silent for a second before bursting out laughing.

"Far out May! You winner you!" Dawn laughed, climbing to her feet only to be attacked again by May in a hug.

"Dawn! I missed you soooo much!" she giggled, squeezing her tightly before letting go. "We need to catch up! Misty and Leaf are back at the poke centre! They can't wait to see you!"

"That's great! I missed you too!" Dawn squealed, pulling away and grinning at the girl in front of her. She looked behind her to see only Ash staring back at her. Frowning, she stepped towards him.

"Hey Ash!" she chirped, giving him a quick hug. "Where are the other two?"

Ash rolled his eyes and pointed behind her. Dawn turned to see Drew yanking Paul into a hug, which Paul surprisingly returned, and Gary doing the same after.

"Hey Paul." She heard them mutter. Paul just gave them nods before turning his head back to the ground and walking with them up to the other three.

"Sup Dawn." Drew said, trying to act all gangster. Dawn rolled her eyes and glomped him.

"Sup dork!" she giggled in reply before throwing herself on Gary. "Hey Gary!"

"Hey girl. How's life?" he asked, squeezing her back. She laughed.

"Alright… I guess" she added the last part as a whisper, not letting the others hear it.

"Righto! Lets get back to the others!" Drew said, clapping his hands together. "Before Leaf and Misty murder Gary and Ash!"

May raised an eyebrow. "Drew… why would they kill them? They need them for sexual pleasures!" She giggled. Gary's mouth dropped but Ash just smirked.

"Oh crap…" Gary suddenly muttered. "Ash. Smirking. Not good."

"At least I get some! Unlike you Drewy!" Ash cackled, before spotting Drew's enraged face.

"WHY YOU LITTLE!" He screeched, attempting to throttle Ash. May on the other hand, bet him to it.

"JUST WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING ASH KETCHUM?" May screamed, her hands grabbing the boy's shirt. "ARE YOU SAYING YOU'VE BEEN BANGING MISTY?"

"…Banging?" he asked, his face innocent and confused. May groaned.

"Seriously? Screw this, MISTY! ASH SAID HE'S SLEEPING WITH YOU!" she suddenly screamed, sprinting towards Veilstone. Ash's eyes widened.

"What? NO!" and took off after her, leaving Paul, Drew, Gary and Dawn behind. They stayed still for a minute before simultaneously face palming.

"Goddamn it Ash…" Gary groaned. Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Anyhoo, shall we get going? We'll probably be walking into a very aggravated Misty in a minute and I'd rather get there when she's still beating up Ash instead of when he's on the ground unconscious and she's looking for someone else to send six feet under." Drew sighed, glancing at the three of them.

"Did you rehearse that in the mirror?" Gary asked, staring at him. Drew beamed.

"Six hours straight!" he cried sarcastically, before grabbing Paul's arm and dragging him towards the city. Dawn and Gary sighed before following after.

…

"So Gary, mind telling me how you know Paul?" Dawn asked, staring up at her friend. He looked down at her and smiled, before turning his attention to the green and purple heads walking quite a distance in front of them.

"It was in the Sinnoh region… no wait I lie… Hoenn region! Yeah... cause I met Drew as well…"

_Gary giggled madly as he raced around the Lilycove City Contest hall, his little heart racing at a hundred miles per hour. _

_"GARY! GET BACK HERE!" his mother, Amy, cried behind him. Gary had to admit, he was surprised his Mummy wasn't catching him, with her long legs, then again he was a ninja! Of course he was faster!_

"_I'm a Ninwa Mummy! You can't catch me!" he giggled before slamming into a wall. Maybe not. "Ow…" _

"_Gary, you're not a ninja honey, not yet." Amy sighed, bending down to help him to his feet and check to see if he was ok._

"_But I wanna be a ninwa…" Gary mumbled, pouting. Amy chuckled._

"_Darling-"_

"_You can join me in my ninwa army!" another child's voice echoed in the air. Amy and Gary turned to see two more five year-olds sprinting towards them, huge goofy grins on their faces and what looked like their mothers dragging themselves after them._

"_Please!" Gary cried, ripping out of his mothers grip and racing towards the other kids who instantly stop. _

"_Yays! I'm Captain Paul!" The purple haired one giggled._

"_And I'm Drew!" the green haired one grinned. Gary laughed._

"_Well, I'm Gary!"_

_And with that they dropped into a discussion about… something. Amy smiled, the two kids, one with green hair and the other purple, looked familiar, like younger versions of two men she knew._

"_OhMyGosh Amy!" one of the woman cried, sprinting towards her. Amy looked up only to see her early adulthood best friend, Chaarn, grinning madly and drag her into a hug._

"_Chaarn? No way! It's been forever!"_

"_Five years!" Chaarn confirmed, pulling away just as the black haired woman with her dragged her into another hug._

"_Amy! Do you remember me?"_

"_How could I forget you Rissy?" Amy chuckled, hugging back her other old best friend. They pulled back and all grinned at each other._

"_Its been to long!" They chorused together before laughing. _

"_MUMMY!" three loud voices suddenly cried. Looking down, the mothers spotted their very cross sons looking up at them._

"_Yes?" they asked all at once, resisting the urge to crack up again._

"_Can we go play outside?" Paul asked. Chaarn smiled._

"_If its ok with these two, then yes!" she said, gesturing to the other two woman. Quickly, three-puppy dog looks latched onto the woman._

"_Fine, if we come with you." Rissy said smiling. _

"_YAYS!" the kids yelled, sprinting out of the hall. "TO A TREE!"_

"_TO BE NINWA!" Gary shouted. Groaning, the mums all slowly began to walk after their kids._

"So your parents knew each other?"

"Yep! See, Rissy and Chaarn were sisters-in-law and Mum was their best friend. So us kids spent a lot of time with each other. Especially at Contests, what with our Mums being Co-coordinators."

"Huh…"

"Although, looking at Paul especially nowhere days, you wouldn't expect him to be like that again."

"Again?" Dawn asked, looking at him with a frown. Gary sighed and ran a hand through his hair, placing his hands on his head afterwards.

"Well, see it was Paul who would come up with the ideas of what to do. That's why we called him Captain Paul. He was the one who'd organize what we'd do for the day. That could range from throwing heated up water balloons at people to sneaking in to a dress up closet and spray-painting every outfit in there. Heh, I remember them having to close down a contest one day to wash off all the pokemon that we had covered in paint and sparkles…" he laughed. "Oh and glitter!"

Dawn stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Did Paul really used to be like that? Wow.

"OI! SLOWPOKES! HURRY UP!" Drew suddenly yelled. Dawn and Gary looked around to see Paul and Drew waiting for them by the pokemon centre, while they dawdled near the end of the lane.

"Sorry!" Dawn cried, breaking into a sprint to catch up. Her eyes traveled to look at Paul, surprised to see him still with his hair covering his face and hands in pockets. She sighed.

She wished she could turn back time, just to see him happy.


	21. Chapter 21

**Far out! Its been far to long since I updated! It was either Lucky or A Different Battle that I update first and thanks to xotennisloverxo I updated this one first! And now onto the other!**

**BUT! NOT BEFORE I ASK SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL OF YOU GUYS! PLLLLEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEE CAN YOU ALL DO ME A FAVOUR?  
Ok, see I'm in a bit of a struggle at the moment! I have a good idea for a small sequel for this story (Only a few chapters but I can't out it on Lucky or it'll drag on and lose the already half dead plot :/) but I need you guys to help me out! Sooo in your reviews can you pick a number out of...**

**1) Sad ending but with sequel  
2) Sad ending  
3) Happy ending (Sorry no sequel if thats the case :/)**

**So yeah! PLEASE Pick a number when you review, it'll be much much MUCH appreciated! I'm having a bit of HUGE writers block and you guys opinion would be amazing! Also, just for the fact I wanna know how this story is going so far, can you please also tell me what you think of Lucky so far? Its not crappy right?**

**SORRY ABOUT THE AMAZINGLY LONG AUTHORS NOTE! But yeah... it was put it here or do another chapter that contains it but eh, thought I'd do it here.**

**Anyway, I don't own pokemon and just so you know there is some major swearing in this chapter so it lives up to its M rating! Have fun! And please answer my questions! It'll really help!**

**Enjoy! (Sorry if its crappy XD)**

* * *

Fire.

That's all Dawn could see as she sat curled up on a sofa in a side lounge of the pokemon centre. Its bright flickering reflected in her eyes and the heat radiating off it seemed to wrap around her, warming her up.

"Dawn, are you even listening?"

The bluenette's head snapped to look at the brunette on her left; the one on her right prodded her with her finger.

"I don't think she is May!" the one on the right giggled. May sighed.

"Really Dawn? Leaf and I are trying to talk to you!"

"Sorry guys." Dawn mumbled. "I've just got a lot of my mind."

"Does it by any chance start with P, end with L and has a A and U in the middle?" Leaf asked, a smiled on her face and an eyebrow raised. Dawn sighed.

"Yeah…."

"KNEW IT!" Leaf cried, high fiving May before realizing how insensitive that was. "Sorry Dawn."

"Don't worry about it." Dawn chuckled before turning away.

It was quite a snug little room. The fireplace took over most of it with two sofas placed in front of it and to the side, in front of the huge window that seemed to take over the outer wall was three armchairs and a coffee table. Perched in those three chairs were four boys.

Paul sat in one, his legs drawn up to is chest in a very unusual position for him, Drew was perched on the arm of Paul's chair, one foot on the ground and the other in front of him, his knee practically touching his nose as he tried keeping balance. Gary sat sideways in the chair across from them, his back against one arm of the chair and his legs dangling over the side. Ash sat in the chair in the middle, legs crossed and obviously missing his Pikachu who was off with Misty…. Somewhere…

"DAWN! SNAP OUT OF IT!" May yelled, ready to throttle the girl. Dawn shook her head and glared at May.

"SHUT UP MAY! GEEZ! " She cried. "GO AWAY!"

"Girls… if you're going to have a cat fight… come a little closer. I want a good view!" Gary laughed, smirking at the girls. Suddenly a very heavy vase slammed into his head causing him to clutch it in pain.

"WHAT THE HELL MAN?" he yelled, glaring at Drew who tried to look innocent. The missing vase on the table said otherwise though.

"You deserved it…"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE MADLY IN LOVE WITH MAY!" Gary screamed. Drew's eyes narrowed.

"Why you…" suddenly Drew was flying across the room, slamming into Gary and straddling him, about to punch him in the face.

"I'M BACCCCKKKK!" a new voice cried. Everyone turned to see Misty walking in, her face lit with a huge smile, although it faltered when she saw Drew on top of Gary. "And I see they found their way out of the closet…"

"Wait… WHAT?" The two both yelled before realizing what a sexual position they were in. Both of them let out loud yells, that oddly sounded like very girly screams, and Drew scrambled away, crawling as fast as possible across the carpet and hiding behind Paul's chair.

"What do you mean out of the closet Misty?" Ash asked, his eyes innocent. Misty sighed and walked over, slipping in to sit on his lap.

"Don't worry Ashy." She cooed. Ash smiled at her before frowning.

"Where's Pikachu?" He asked, his eyes widening in fright. "Is he ok!"

"PIKA!" Pikachu's voice rang out. Ash turned to see his little yellow buddy wandering over to them, a key dangling around his neck and a few pillows piled up in his arms. He dropped the pillows by Dawn and May before hopping up onto Misty's lap and burrowing in between his two favorite people.

"Geez Misty! Just leave us with the bedding!" another female voice yelled. Dawn's ears perked up. She knew that voice….

"Zoey?" she called, turning her head to the door. Two people walked in, one stacked with pillows while the other one had sheets and sleeping bags. Quickly, the one holding pillows dropped them, revealing a girl with bright orangey red hair.

"DAWN!" she cried, sprinting towards her friend. Dawn laughed as they hugged.

"Hey Zoey! Long time no see!"

"What about me DeeDee?"

Dawn looked over Zoey's shoulder to see her old childhood friend Kenny standing there, the pile of sheets and sleeping bags in front of her.

"Hey Kenny." She said, not exactly thrilled to see him but she still gave him a hug, although it was shorter than Zoey's.

"Hey girl! How's life?" he said in that annoying girlish voice of his. Dawn sighed,

"Eh..." was all she said, looking past him to look at Paul.

He was still looking down, still quiet, still being un-Paul like. Sighing, Dawn fought back tears. Why was he acting like this? Why was it affecting her? STUPID WORLD!

"Eh? What does that mean?" Kenny asked, holding onto her shoulders. Dawn frowned at him, ignoring the stares of everyone else. Although, when Paul looked up, she froze. It was hollow, cold, almost as if there was no soul behind them.

"Don't worry… I-I just need some air." She stuttered, turning around and racing out of the room, trying to stop the tears that were flowing.

"Wait! Dawn!"

_GO away Kenny! _She mentally cried, sprinting around a corner of the poke centre hallways, holding onto her elbows. Sighing, she slowed to a stop and sunk down the wall, her back pressed against it.

What had happened to Paul that could make him look like that? Dawn racked her brains, trying to find an explanation but came up short. Something was wrong though.

Footsteps thudded down the hall and Dawn bit her lip. People couldn't just leave her alone!

"Go away!" she hissed, not even paying attention to who it was.

"Dawn… I'm sorry if I upset you!" Kenny's voice rang out as he sat down beside her, trying to make eye contact. Dawn's bottom lip trembled as she looked at him.

"Its not you Kenny…" she whispered. Sure, she didn't exactly like the guy anymore but he was her old childhood best friend. He didn't need to be beating himself up over anything.

"Who is it then?" he asked. Dawn sighed. Should she tell him?

_I guess there's no harm in doing so _she thought, turning to look at him properly.

…

"What's up with Dawn?" Gary asked Paul, his eyes boring into Paul's. Paul just shrugged, not even opening his mouth. Leaf slammed a hand down on the table in front of them.

"Liar!" she yelled. "You were with her last! What's wrong with her!"

It wasn't a question. Paul sighed, guess he had to tell them what had happened.

"Look…" he started, his voice barely above a whisper. Gary and a recovering from absolute horror Drew frowned. They'd never heard Paul speak in such a way, so full of sadness and anger. Even when his parents had died…

"Dawn and I had a fight."

"Over what?" Leaf interrupted, earning a glare from Paul.

"Leaf! Shut up!" Gary hissed. She glared at him but nodded, taking a seat on the ground. Her expression though told Paul that she still wanted him to answer her question, and so did everyone else's.

"Fine. I slept with Dawn."

"WHAT!" everyone cried, their shouts echoing around the room. Ash, on the other hand, frowned.

"What's so bad about him sleeping with her?" he asked, obviously not getting what Paul was implying. Everyone groaned but it was Paul that looked the angriest.

"I HAD FUCKING SEX WITH DAWN YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" he roared, surprising everyone with the sudden anger.

"Ohhhhh…"

"Get it? We had fucking sex, then when we woke up it was fucking horrifying! So of course what I do I fucking do? Oh that's right RUN A FUCKING WAY! But then Torterra and Weavile stopped me and we talked it over only to realize that I'm actually fucking madly in love with Dawn and its possible that she might feel the goddamn same way! Oh how fucking wrong was I! I head on back planning to tell her then she spits out that it was only a bit of fun on her part and was sure I felt the same way! Of course! Who would think that a positive, bright bubbly girl would be in love with me, Dr goddamn fucking depressed!" Paul screamed, yes screamed, in frustration as he yanked on his hair.

Everyone sat in stunned silence.

"And… and now I don't know what to fucking do…" he finished; stunning everyone even more as a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Paul…" Drew muttered, stepping forward and enveloping his cousin in a hug, who gratefully returned it, surprising everyone at the sign of rare affection.

A lot of surprises much?

"Paul?"

His head rose up from Drew's shoulder and his eyes locked with the person who'd spoken. Zoey.

"I think the feelings mutual." She said, holding up her phone with a smile on her face. Paul frowned and stepped forward, taking the phone off her to read the text.

_From: Kenny_

_027 578 4440_

_-Text Message—_

_Zoey… Dawn loves Paul…_

_-Text Message-_

_027 333 7602_

_To: Zoey_

Paul's eyes widened as he shoved the phone back in Zoey's hands, sprinting out the door before anyone could say anything.

…

Dawn's head popped up from where it had been angled to stare at the ground. Loud, hurried footsteps were storming down the hallway.

"Man… whoever it is, is bloody loud!" Kenny cried turning his head to look around the corner, trying to see who was coming. "Oh…"

"Who is it?" Dawn hissed, smacking Kenny lightly on the arm. He shrugged her off before scurrying to his feet.

"P-Paul!" he stuttered, a small forced smile appeared on his lips as Dawn jumped. Paul?

"Kenny, I need to speak to her." She heard the cold, hard voice snap. Kenny nodded his head and quickly darted around the corner, leaving Dawn alone. But only for a second as Paul came around to look at her, his eyes suddenly warm as he gazed down at her.

"Hey…" he mumbled, sliding down the wall to sit beside her, not paying attention to his phone that fell out of his pocket as he did. She frowned at him before cocking her head to the side.

"Are you bipolar?"

"W-what?" he stumbled. Her eyes narrowed.

"Are you bipolar? Because you're acting like it."

Dawn's frown became deeper as he suddenly started chuckling.

"No. No I'm not bipolar. Although I'm surprised it's taken you this long to ask."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

Dawn blushed and gave a small smile before nodding. Of course she knew… kinda.

"What are you here for Paul? Aren't you supposed to be with Drew and Gary?"

"Why would I be with them?"

"Because one of them is your cousin… and the other your best friend!"

"I could say the same about you though." He mumbled, causing Dawns mouth to drop open. Did he just call her… a friend?

"Yeah, I did." He chuckled, smiling at her surprised face when she realized she'd said it out loud.

"Oh…"

"Look… Dawn… There's something I need to tell you. Something I should have said earlier today. Before you spoke." Paul mumbled, before raising his head and looking her dead in the eye. "I lo-"

He was cut off as suddenly his phone went off, lighting up their faces. Paul frowned but instantly look down to see who it was while Dawn just sighed and resisted the urge to murder the nearest thing. He had been about to say it!

On the hand, Paul's eyes just about fell out when he saw the very simple text sprawled across the scene.

_From: Conway_

_021 678 3446_

_-Text Message—_

_So, little Paulie's finally in love! About time…_

_-Text Message-_

_027 676 5544_

_To: Paul_

Quickly Paul shoved the phone in his pocket and leapt to his feet, his mind buzzing. He needed to get out of here.

"P-Paul?"

He turned to see Dawn looking up at him with her crystal clear blue eyes, looking confused.

"Where are you going?" she asked, getting to her feet as well. Paul stared at her, trying to figure out what to say. He couldn't exactly tell her about Conway.

_And just why not? _His conscious snapped. Paul groaned.

'Because I just can't!' he muttered in his head.

"Paul?"

"I'm sorry Dawn, but I got to go."

"Wait!" she latched onto his arm, still staring at him. "What were you going to say?"

Paul gazed back at her for a moment, multiple things running through his head. He couldn't let Conway get to her…

"Weren't you going to say you love me?"

Paul's heart broke. He knew what he had to do.

"Love you? That's pathetic. Why would I ever love a troublesome, weak girl such as you?" he hissed, ripping his arm out of her grasp. "You're pathetic."

He turned to storm away, trying to resist the urge to just breakdown and confess his love for her.

'It's better this way…' he thought as he walked, but stopped when her voice rang out.

"No Paul. You're pathetic." She cried, tears in her voice. Paul froze for a second, his eyes also tearing up.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered to himself, before walking softly around the corner then breaking into a sprint, unable to control the tears about to stream down his face.

Unfortunately… he didn't see the man standing right around the corner, a smirk on his face and a bright cellphone in his hand.

"Phase one complete." He cackled, snapping the phone shut and leaving him in absolute darkness.

* * *

**So! There we have it! Chapter 21! Please answer my questions from above and thanks for reading this chappie! See you in Chapter 22!**

**Here... have a cookie XD**


	22. Chapter 22

"Just shut up you gay twit and tell me if he's left yet!" Conway screamed into the phone, his anger levels overloading. What the hell was he thinking hiring the two idiotic asswipes in the WORLD to help?

"Sorry master! Yes he has! The ginger ninja just told me!" A voice replied. Conway groaned and face palmed. Why the hell did he also allow them to make up their own names?

"Good. Now make sure Dawn goes to the contest. At whatever cost! She has to be there."

"Yes sir! Cutie Pie out!" the voice giggled, hanging up the phone.

Conway sighed. He really should've thought this through better. Then again, those two were able to get close to both Paul and Dawn. Very valuable…

…

Dawn sighed as she sat on the ground in the hallway; having not moved after Paul had left. Everyone was standing around her, either attempting to talk to her or conversing among themselves.

"Come on Dawn… brighten up! At least you have a contest tomorrow!" May said, smiling down at her.

"I don't want to go now May." Dawn sighed. Misty frowned and knelt down on the other side of her.

"But Dawn…"

"No Misty. I'm not going!"

"Come on Dawn… please?" May begged, joining Misty. Dawn shook her head.

"I said no!"

"But I don't want to do it alone! Please Dawn!"

"Yeah Dawn! Contests are your life!" Misty cried. Dawn glared at her.

"Not anymore."

"What! What could possibly have happened to change that!" May asked.

"You know what." Dawn spat. Misty roughly grabbed Dawns shirt and pressed her face up close to Dawn.

"If you're going to give me that bullshit about how Paul's your life now and he's destroyed it, I swear… I will personally kick your ass and drag you to that contest hall!" Misty sneered, eyes glinting anger. Dawn gulped but still shook her head.

"N-no Mist! I'm not doing it!"

"Yes you are!" the water trainer snapped. "You are going and that's final!"

Dawn shot her a glare but seeing the determined look on her face she just sighed and nodded.

"Fine…"

Misty smiled and gave her a quick hug. "Good girl!"

"LADIES! I AM HERE!" A loud voice declared and Dawn looked up to see Harley pushing past Kenny and send him tumbling into Brock. "Now what's this I hear about Dawn not going to a contest!"

"Don't worry Harley, she's decided to go now!" Misty smiled, helping Dawn to her feet. Harley grinned.

"That a girl! Now then I'm guessing its… SHOPPING TIME!" Harley cried, clapping his hands together. Mays mouth dropped open.

"NO WAY! I need a new costume for my contest too… PLEASEEEE DAWN!" she cried, rounding on her bluenette friend. Dawn sighed.

"Guys I already have a costume." She laughed, reaching into her bag but freezing when her hand brushed over the material of her new contest dress. Paul had gotten it for her hadn't he?

Her hand tightened into a fist and she pulled it out of her bag, forcing a smile. "On second thought Pikachu destroyed it… I guess we can."

"YAYS! LETS GO!" Harley giggled, grabbing Kenny and heading around the corner, leaving Brock to follow. Dawn shook her head, a small laugh leaving her lips.

"I wonder if he realizes the shops aren't even open yet." May sweat dropped. Misty laughed and linked arms with her brunette friend.

"Maybe he will later." She turned to see Dawn staring down at her bag, a small frown on her face. "Dawn? You coming?"

The bluenette's head shot up and she gave them a small forced smile. "Yeah. I'll catch up in a minute."

They pursed their lips before May opened her mouth again.

"You know… you made the right choice Dawn." She said, smiling at her. Dawn nodded her head.

"Misty was right… I can't let him ruin my life…" she whispered, watching her friends nod.

"Alright…" Misty sighed dragging May behind her as they followed after the others.

As soon as they were out of eyesight, Dawn reached into her bag and pulled out the top of the black dress. Running her gaze over it, she bit back a few tears before yanking it out all the way and giving it a hug.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled to no one before dropping the dress on the ground and walking away.

…

"Where the hell have you been? I thought you said you'd be back in a minute!" Drew snapped as Gary came rushing into the room, something in arms.

"Sorry! I… got distracted!" he muttered, racing over to his bag and stuffing whatever it was in it. Drew rolled his eyes.

"Of course you did! Its not like we have a job to do!"

"Shut up Drew!"

"Get your priorities straight Gary!"

"BOYS! PLEASE!" Leaf suddenly interrupted shoving herself in between them, Zoey right behind her.

"I have to agree with Leaf on this." The red head mumbled. Leaf smiled before settling a glare on the other two.

"You're like an old married couple! No wonder everyone thinks you're gay for each other!"

"WHAT!" Both boys yelled, shooting daggers at Leaf who just giggled.

"Toodles!" she cackled, grabbing Zoey's arm and dragging her out of the room, most likely to find Dawn and the others.

It was quiet for a long time before suddenly Ash appeared from where he'd been sitting with Pikachu.

"So guys… we have a job to do?"

"No. Drew and I do. Why don't you go and play shops with the others Ashy-boy?" Gary snapped. Ash glared at Gary.

"He's my friend too." He mumbled. Drew frowned.

"You know what we're talking about?" he asked, surprised when Ash nodded.

"Yeah, you want to find Paul. And I want to help. He may be the biggest pain in the ass around… well second to Gary-"

"Hey!"

"- But he's still my friend." Ash finished, ignoring Gary. Drew nibbled on his bottom lip before nodding.

"Alright, you and gayness over there can work together."

"Like you can talk about being gay… who's the one who uses hair products?" Gary sneered.

"Both of us." Drew deadpanned. Gary frowned before sighing.

"Good point. But who's the one who flicks his hair?"

"Who's the one who has a whole posse of cheerleaders that he never once banged?"

"Who's the one who has to spend at least three hours getting ready for anything?"

"Who's the one who got drunk and almost went home with a man?"

"Who's the one who has a pokemon that has flowers for hands?"

"You did not just go there…"

"Oh I did…"

Drew didn't even bother retorting, he just threw himself at Gary sending them both to the ground, almost killing Ash in the process who quickly ducked behind a chair and hid.

"YOU ASSHOLE! DON'T YOU EVER DIS MY POKEMON!" Drew screamed, straddling Gary for the second time that night and punching him in the gut. Gary groaned but flung Drew off him, sending him crashing into another chair.

"Then don't call me gay!" Gary grunted, getting to his feet. Drew moaned with pain and stood up as well, anger burning in his eyes.

"Well sort out your priorities! We should be worrying about Paul not your sexual preference!" Drew growled while glaring.

"And who's the one making this a big deal?" Gary snarled, pushing Drew. His eyes went wide though when Drew stumbled back, toppled over and ended up on his hands and knees.

"Dick!"

"Drew! Are you ok?" Gary asked, frantically stumbling towards him unaware of the mountain of pillows in front of him, causing him to trip up and land on Drew's back.

Unfortunately just as this happened, the door flew open and in stormed Nurse Joy.

"What's going on in here!" she cried, freezing though when she spotted the two boys in their current position. Her face turned bright red. "O-oh! I'm s-sorry! I didn't mean…"

She trailed off staring at the boys who were frozen in place. Suddenly she giggled.

"Guess I now understand what all the grunting and groaning was." She laughed, turning around and running out of the room as fast as possible.

"GET OFF!" Drew roared as soon as Joy had left the room. Quickly the two clambered to their feet.

"Oh wow… I guess it does explain the noises…" Ash commented, rising from where he'd been forgotten behind the chair. The other two turned bright red.

"Lets just never speak of this…" Gary mumbled.

"Agreed…" Drew said, nodding his head. The two glanced at each other and turned red again.

They were never living this down.

"Lets go find Paul. Its dark out so he might be in danger." Ash laughed, smiling at them but sobering at the final part of his statement. Drew and Gary nodded, all embarrassment gone. It was time to get serious and find their friend.

"Lets check his house first."

* * *

**I know I know! I'm a horrible person for not updating and when I do its a crap chapter! Sooooo sorry guys! Unfortunately there is some bad news but there is also good news!**

**Good News - This chapter (Even though it was mainly incredibly crap humor) has cleared out almost ALL of my writers block!**

**Bad News - The voting thing I did last time has come to a tie. Soooo that really sucks! I was waiting for another review to out weigh one option but nope! It hasn't happened!**

**Good News - IT DOESN'T MATTER! I'm pretty sure I have an awesome plan for this story! I have the next three chapters planned out! So updates should be faster than usual when I get my ass around to writing!**

**Bad News - LUCKY IS ALMOST OVER D: I know! Sadness! There is either four or five chapters till the end! GASP!**

**Good News - I HAVE COOKIES! -gives one to everyone-**

**Bad/Good News - I honestly don't know what to put this under, ummm the next couple of chapters will be short then it'll most likely be a super duper long one but I'm meaning to say that its going to get reasonably violent kinda from here on out :/ Reasonably dark. Just saying XD**

**So yeah, long authors note and I'm really sorry about the really long wait :/ Hopefully there won't be to much more long of a wait, depending on how my oneshot writing goes!**

**OH! BY THE WAY! PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW ONESHOTS! PLLLLEEEAAASSSEEEEE! I've been putting off Lucky for them and I don't want it to go to shame! **

**And one last thing, in case you were wondering, Gary and Drew shipping is ArroganceShipping XD**


	23. Chapter 23

Dawn sighed as she spun around in front of the huge mirror, her heart beating in her chest as the light fabric flared out. The dress was gorgeous, a deep purple supple material. It had small sleeves that feel off her shoulders and a pink ribbon was tied around her waist, making sure that when she turned around it wouldn't fly up too high and show off her undergarments. Matching pink ballet shoes finished off the look.

Frustrated, Dawn turned away and plopped down in the swiveling chair that had been placed in front of another mirror and dressing counter, which was covered with ribbons, hair straighteners, hair ties, clips and what ever other torturous instruments Dawn had dragged into the changing room.

Clearing away some of the stuff, Dawn rested her elbows on the table and buried her head in her hands.

"_WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE?" Harley practically screamed as he skidded around a rack and sprinted towards them, a deep purple dress in his hands. Dawn stiffened as she looked over the colour of it. _

_Purple. The exact purple as his hair. Paul's hair._

"_No. Put it back." She instantly said, ignoring the looks Misty and May gave her and turning away. _

"_What! But it's amazing! Come on Dawn!" Harley almost begged while pouting and attempting to use puppy eyes… it only succeeded in creeping Dawn out. _

"_I said n-" she couldn't finish her sentence as Harley suddenly grabbed one arm and Kenny got the other._

"_In ya go!" Harley giggled, throwing her in a changing room and barricading it with a chair from Arceus knows where. "You can come out when this is on!" _

_He swiftly threw it over the cubicle door and ignored her protests. She was getting that dress, no matter what._

Dawn sighed as she removed her hands from her face and began to reapply her make-up. She had to admit, it was a nice dress. Only… she'd never really suited deep plunge v-necks. You needed huge breasts to pull those off and no matter how hard Harley had tried, Dawn had refused to buy those silly silicon implants.

Rolling her eyes, Dawn turned and picked up the hair straightener in front of her, along with a brush, and began to gently curl the two bangs that weren't in a ponytail and were framing her face. As she held one piece of hair wrapped up in the hair iron, she gazed at the pile of products lying in a heap on the counter. One bottle catching her eye.

A small heart shaped perfume bottle, pink in colour with very little liquid missing.

Dawn sighed as she stared at the bottle that contained a beautiful, sweet strawberry smell.

"_Dawn! There was something in the mail for you!" Johanna called as she made her way past the living room and into the kitchen. The young five year-old girl didn't even look up from the contest she was watching, her eyes focused on the violet haired coordinator commanding her Espeon into defeating her opponent._

"_AND THE WINNER IS VIOLENT VIOLET!" the judge cried, causing Dawn to grin._

"_That's so awesome Mum! Paulie said she'd win!" Dawn yelled, getting to her feet and sprinting down the hallway to her kitchen where her mother was. _

"_He did too." Johanna said, nodding her head as she looked at the small girl who'd been infatuated by the young boy since she'd met him a little over three months ago. _

"_Its so exciting! She's won…"_

"_Fifty-six."_

"_Yeah! That many festivals!" she grinned up at her mother who just shook her head, a smile on her face. Dawn was about to race back to the lounge when Johanna grabbed something off the bench and gave it to her daughter._

"_Here honey. This came in the mail for you." _

_Dawn's eyes went wide as she stared at the small parcel wrapped in hot pink wrapping paper and a purple ribbon. With a huge grin, she tore it all off and swung open the lid._

"_What is it honey?" Johanna asked, looking over Dawns shoulder. It was a small, pink heart shaped bottle filled with liquid._

"_Its Paulie." Dawn simply stated pulling out the bottle, taking the cap off and spraying it in the air._

"_Strawberry perfume." Johanna smiled, sniffing the air as she recognized the smell as the same one that Paul smelt strongly of when Dawn accidentally knocked Chaarn's bottle on top of the boy. She was surprised when her daughter fixed her with a glare._

"_Its Paulie." Dawn said sternly, staring her mother down. Johanna was about to correct her when she decided instead to just humour her._

"_Yes Dawn. Its Paulie."_

Dawn sucked on her bottom lip as the memory flooded her conscience. It was painful to remember.

Ripping her gaze from the bottle, she glanced in the mirror only to jump as she saw someone standing behind her.

"C-Conway! How did you get in here?" she cried, tearing the hair straightener out, cringing at the pain as a few hairs came out as well, and twirling around in the chair to face the green-haired man.

"Through the door?" he replied, slightly uncertain as he frowned at her. Dawn groaned. Of course he came through the door!

"I-I mean what are you doing here? Its my changing room!" she cried exasperated. Conway chuckled and made his way over to the counter behind Dawn, lifting up… a stereo?

'_What does he need a stereo for?' _Dawn thought, a frown on her face. Before she had time to ask, Conway had ripped out one of the multiple plugs stuck in the socket and slipped in the stereo.

"What's your favourite music Dawn?" he asked, his voice betraying no emotion or anything. Dawn frowned.

"I don't know…"

"Well that's too bad." He chuckled darkly.

Dawn froze.

Something was wrong.

Suddenly loud music blasted in the room and Conway picked up the stereo, stretching out the cord so that it would reach to where he placed it in front of the door.

"C-Conway?" she whispered. Dawn watched as his back went rigid.

"Yes Dawn?" he said, turning around and glancing at her, his glasses glinting. Dawn swallowed hard, her eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated from before, starting to get out of the chair. Conway laughed and yanked something silver out of his pocket.

"No no honey, you need to stay in that seat." He stated. Dawn's eyes went wide before suddenly she felt cold pressure on her wrists.

"What the…" she trailed off as she stared down at the arms of her chair in horror.

Arm cuffs had come out of the chair, bolting her to it.

"Conway! Let me go!" she cried, trying to rip her wrists out of the metal grips. Conway laughed.

"Oh Dawn! You're so naïve. Why would I let go of you?"

"What do you want from me?" she spat, glaring at him. He looked at her unimpressed.

"You know what I want…" he purred as he walked towards her, pulling her hair out of its ponytail and pulling a piece through his fingers. Dawn's eyes went wide and she jerked her head away.

"Leave me alone!" she gasped. He just chuckled in response, running a hand down her face.

"Is little Dawn scared? You thought I could be trusted didn't you. You thought Paul was lying…" he smirked. "Didn't you Dawn?"

The blue haired girl bit her lip and turned away. She had doubted Paul and believed he'd been lying when Conway had talked to her in the forest. She'd actually started to believe that it was Paul's fault; he was the one that charmed her then crushed her.

_Dawn! What are you thinking? Paul saved your life! _He conscience roared, causing Dawn to mentally jump.

'Then destroyed it!' she argued back.

_You know that's a lie._

Dawn shook her head, making Conway laugh.

"Trying to figure it all out aren't you Dawn? Face it, Paul doesn't value you. He doesn't love you and he used you Dawn. He used your body for his own pleasure then left you." He whispered. Dawn closed her eyes and looked away, biting back tears.

"No…" she mumbled, barely audible. Conway chuckled and settled his hand back on her cheek.

"He's the one who sent me here Dawn… he's the one who decided you weren't worth the time." He laughed and moved his face closer to hers. "He decided that I could do whatever I want with you… he doesn't care Dawn.

"He wants you dead."

Dawn felt tears prick her eyes. Conway was lying, Paul would never say that! He hated Conway!

"Hate me? Why Paul could never hate me!" Conway sniggered, moving his hand to a surprised Dawns chin and forcing her to look at him. She hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Me and Paul are close Dawn. In fact…" he smirked and touched her nose with his, holding back a laugh when he saw the terror in her eyes. "In fact he even said I could share in his spoils."

Dawn's eyes went wide when suddenly Conway crashed his lips onto hers, his other hand that wasn't cupping her face ran over her knee and settled on her inside thigh.

"Get the fuck off me!" she screamed, her voice muffled by his mouth. She shuddered as he chuckled, pulling back and stroking her face, his other hand stroking her thigh and steadily getting closer to her privates.

"There's no point screaming Dawn… the music drowns out your noise." He rolled his eyes before his glasses glinted. "Play nicely."

Dawn didn't know what possessed her to do it, but when his finger got to close to her mouth, she chomped down on it.

"ARGH!" he cried, yanking it out of her mouth and staring at the flushed, irrated skin.

"Fuck off Conway." She hissed. A gasp left her mouth as suddenly the back of Conway's hand slamming into her cheek.

"You fucking bitch." He snarled, smashing the other cheek as well, his lips curling as she cried out. Gasping for breath, she managed to raise her head and glare at him.

"Fuck… Fuck you…" she panted, her eyes un-focusing and her head dropping back to stare at the ground.

Conway's eyes glinted with anger and he suddenly grabbed a fistful of hair, dragging her head up and pulling it back.

"I planned on making your death quick and pleasurable." He hissed in her ear as he reached into his pocket and drew out a knife, watching with delight as the look of horror appeared on her face. "But now…

"Now its payback."

…

They were a pitiful sight, the group waiting for Dawn. Gary and Drew crashed on a couch, Drew drifting in and out of sleep and Gary staring at him worried. May, Zoey, Harley and Kenny were chatting between themselves about what appeals they were going to do as they were already in their own outfits, and Misty sat with Leaf discussing training techniques.

"Arceus I'm tired." Drew groaned, rubbing a hand over his face and snuggling deeper into the cushion. Gary shook his head in response.

"You were up all night looking for Paul, I'm not surprised." He chuckled, patting his friends head lightly. Drew swatted it away before mumbling something into the cushion.

"I didn't hear you."

"Fuck you Gary." Drew snarled, raising his head slightly so he could get it out. Gary just laughed, shaking his head.

"Its alright Drew. Get some sleep." He muttered, ruffling Drew's hair. Drew on the other hand, battered Gary away and sat up.

"No… I should be out looking for him. Not sitting on my fat ass sleeping." He snapped.

Gary groaned. "Listen Drew, you've been out all night. Reggie and Brock are out looking now so just take a break. They'll call us if they find any-"

He was cut off as suddenly the phone that had been balancing on Drew's knees started vibrating. Drew quickly snatched it up.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"_Its us." _Reggie's voice echoed back. Drew gasped and quickly placed him on speakerphone, allowing everyone to hear what the man had to say. Quietly, everyone moved over, surrounding Drew.

"Any news?" Gary instantly asked.

"_Well… we have good and bad."_

"I think we all need some good news." Gary chuckled. Drew softly punched his arm before waiting impatiently for Reggie to reply.

"_Well good news is we have someone else on board to help out with the search. Bad news is that we still haven't found Paul."_

Everyone exchanged glances. Who had they managed to find?

"Um Reg? Who have…" Drew trailed off when loud screaming burst out through the phone, causing everyone to recoil.

"_BARRY! GET THE HELL OFF MY SUDOWOODO!" _Brocks voice screamed through the phone.

Everyone's faces drained of blood. Barry?

"Reggie… tell me that's not Barry? As in absolutely obsessed and almost killed Paul once Barry?"

"_Will you kill me if I say yes?"_

"REGGIE!"

"_I'll take that as a…"_

"_BROCK! BROCK BROCK BROCK BROCK BROCK! TO THE PARK!" _Barry voice carried into the room, making the phone screech a little. Drew winced.

"You're insane Reg."

"_Am I? I think Barry's on to something with this park idea. I'll call you if we find him." _Reggie chuckled before promptly hanging up.

Drew groaned before snapping the lid shut of the cellphone in his hand, looking closely at everyone's reactions. That's when he noticed something…

"Guys… where's Ash?"

Everyone froze for a minute before chaos erupted. Misty and Leaf were racing around trying to see if they could find him in the room, Zoey and May turned and sprinted out into the hallway calling his name, Gary forced a pissy Drew onto the couch and sat on him so he would attempt to find _another _person while Harley and Kenny stood there gormlessly not knowing what to do.

"Gary. Get the fuck off me! We've got to find Ash! And Paul! And what the fuck is taking Dawn so long?" Drew roared, pushing Gary franticly. Gary refused to budge.

"There are lots of us Drew, and you know Barry. He'll sniff out Paul like the fanboy bloodhound he is. And girls… they always take forever."

"But what if something's…"

Suddenly Zoey and May came crashing back into the room, Ash right behind them.

"I just saw Conway heading towards Dawns dressing room!" he cried, his eyes wide with panic.

"…wrong…" Drew finished, his mouth hanging open. Gary was up in seconds.

"What do you mean Ash?"

"Exactly what I said! I was just coming back from the cafeteria and passed Conway in the hall! I didn't…" he trailed off and everyone watched in amazement as he lifted a sandwich to his mouth and bit off half of it.

"Goddamn it Ash! There's no time!" Drew cried, yanking the other half off him and throwing it across the room, narrowly missing Misty's face.

"Sorry! I'm hungry!" Ash said around his food, making the others sweat drop at how disgusting he was. "I didn't recognize him but Pikachu did! He's following Conway now."

Gary was silent for a minute

"Right. I'm going to go get Paul, the rest of you get the fuck to Dawns room."

"Gary-" Drew started but the he held up his hand.

"No time Drew! Arceus knows what Conway's doing to her. Anyway, you know I'm faster than you and I know exactly where I'm going."

"You do?" Leaf asked with a frown. Gary threw her a grin.

"Of course. Just follow the chain of destroyed houses and people sitting on the street crying about a yellow headed demon." He chuckled before turning and sprinting out the door.

It was only until he'd finished running down the first hall and come to a fork that he realized that he not only did he not know the way out, but that someone was following him. Turning around quickly, he frowned when Kenny raced up to him.

"Kenny?"

"I'm coming with you." He huffed.

"But Paul hates you."

"That maybe the case but…" he took a deep breath. "But do you even know the way out of here?"

Gary flushed red before shaking his head, slightly embarrassed. Kenny smirked.

"This way then." He laughed, turning and sprinting down the left corridor, Gary right on his heels.

* * *

**YAYS! CHAPTER 23! EXCITING! I'm sorry there was no Ikari goodness or Paul... but that'll be next chapter! And yes I know Conways a creepy pedo etc etc but yes! Its ok! He gets creeper!**

**So yeah! OOOH! GUESS WHAT! I'mma be uploading my stories on DeviantArt right? WELL! I'm also uploading the cover to Lucky! I MADE ONE! EXCITED! But I'll post the link next chapter if you guys want to look at it!**

**Hope you enjoyed! (I have a feeling I'm missing something... but I don't know what)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Oh. My. God.**

**I am sooooo so so so so so sorry! I haven't updated in forever!**

**I won't blabble up here, but if you guys are interested in reading my excuses, footnote at the bottom! And some updates on the stories progress.**

**Chapter 24!**

* * *

"Its Paul!"

"Its an Espeon!"

"No Espeon has hair that dark!"

"How do you know? Have you seen all of the Espeons in the world?"

Gary glared angrily at Kenny, the urge to deck him was so great. "I'm a Pokemon Researcher idiot, you don't think I don't know this?"

Kenny gave a huff and looked away, his eyes trailing over the rest of the park as Gary smiled smugly from beside him. Reaching out, the brunette gripped Kenny's arm and dragged him roughly over to the patch of purple he'd seen appear just above a small bank that was one of the many littered around the park.

Following the path, the two trundled along at a fast pace until they'd rounded a corner to be met by a small pond… and a downcast Paul sitting beside it, his knees pulled up to his chest with one hand holding them tightly in place while the other played with the grass, pulling it through his fingers and snapping off the occasional blade. Slowly, Gary began walking towards him a bit hesitant, his mind running at a hundred miles per hour as he tried figuring out what he could say to the guy.

"Paul?" he called, thinking it was a good start. The purple head looked up from where he was sitting and cocked his head to the side, his black eyes bore into Gary's who flinched. He'd always hated having Paul glare at him, it always made him feel liked Paul was staring into his soul.

"Maybe we should leave him alone…" Kenny mumbled and a flash of annoyance slammed into Gary.

"If you don't shut up I swear, I will punch you," Gary snarled before walking over to Paul, letting go of the pain in the ass behind him and leaving him to do as he willed. Paul's eyes never left him as he approached and even when he stopped in front of him, his stance casual they continued to glare at him, boring a hole through his head. They stared at each other for a long time, almost communicating with each other through their eyes before Paul sighed and tore his away, looking out over the pond.

"What do you want Oak?" he asked, his voice resigned and it sounded as if he'd given up.

"Get up Lopez," Gary snapped, his voice taking a hard tone. This was not Paul and he refused to stand by and allow him to wallow in a pool of self pity. Cold black eyes flashed up to met him and Paul's face transformed into a sneer.

"Gonna make me?"

"Gary... I think we should-"

"I swear Kenny, one more word..." Gary warned, not even turning his attention to the boy. Reaching down, he snatched up the collar of Paul's shirt and attempted to pull him up, only succeeding in losing his balance and falling flat on top of the purple headed male.

"Get the hell off Oak!" Paul snarled from under the crushing weight. The brunette only giggled madly and sat up, straddling Paul.

"Make me," he laughed, grinning madly. Paul's eyes narrowed and he promptly brought his knee up into Gary's back, making him gasp and roll over top of Paul's head, groaning. With only a slight bend of the back, Paul was on his feet and dragging Gary up, shoving his face close to the other males.

"I asked, what do you want?" he spat, his eyes glowing with anger. Gary couldn't help but smirk So there was finally some life in him.

"You have to come back. Dawn needs you."

With a groan, Paul let go of Gary who dropped to the ground with a relieved sigh before focussing back on the man walking away from him.

"She doesn't need me."

"Yes she does."

Paul turned around in a rage and glared at Gary. "Why would anyone need some guy with a fucked up past and a homicidal asshole following him around ready to kill the first person he likes?"

Gary was silent before he realized just what he needed to do. He remembered discussing with Drew during one of their visits that ever since Paul's parents had been killed his whole demeanor had changed in more ways than the expected. He'd become more stubborn, more cold, more negative. And the only way to ever really get through to him was to either smash his brains in which never really worked or to force him to listen to reason, force him to understand.

So thats why, without a moments hesitation, Gary threw himself at Paul, tackling him to the ground and straddling his hips. Paul was it so much shock he just lay there as Gary shoved his face close.

"You listen to me Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez. And you listen good," he sneered. "There is a gorgeous, blue haired, talented girl out there that wants.. no _needs _you. And you're willing to sit around and do nothing!"

"She doesn't," Paul spat, his voice venomous and eyes harsh.

"Like hell she doesn't-" was all Gary could get back out before Paul grabbed his arms and threw the brunette away from him… right into Kenny. The penguin boy 'oofed' as Gary slammed into him but the pokemon researcher didn't stop. No, instead he got to his feet and charged towards the purple haired boy getting off the ground and barreled into him, crushing him face first into the ground before clambering on to his back, scurrying both arms and legs this time.

"Think back Paul, there would've been a time where she would have asked for your help! Told you she needed you!"

"The only time she said that was when she thought I was some guy called Shinji!"

"But she knew who you were all along right?"

"Not at that point."

Gary fell silent, his head racing. He'd relied on that one fact Dawn had told him when they'd discussed part of her journey with Paul. Now he was stumped.

Or was he?

"What about the cliff! When she fell off!"

"She never said she needed me."

"But she did. Think about it Paul. Dawn needed you so bad. What if you hadn't of jumped off after her? What if you had watched her fall, helplessly dropping to her death? She needed you Paul," Gary argued. He felt a small feeling of accomplishment come over him when Paul fell limp underneath him but almost reluctantly he climbed off, leaving the defeated purple haired boy on the ground.

"This is a waste of time!" Kenny suddenly shouted, coming up beside Gary. "He's just being useless! Dawn could be dying and he's just-"

Gary's fist came out of no where and hit its target dead on. Within seconds, Kenny was completely submerged under the water with a bright red mark building up on his face and what would soon to be a black eye. Unfortunately though, he hadn't been quick enough as Paul's head shot up in confusion.

"Dying?"

"H-he didn't mean that!" Gary cried, his eyes wide and arms waving frantically. This wasn't going as planned! He was supposed to get Paul to forgive Dawn _then _go save her! Then they'd have some corny reunion then live happily ever after. Or some corny shit like that.

"Well, what did he mean then?" Paul snapped, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer. Gary shook his head profusely.

"What he meant was… was… look! The point is Dawn needs you! And she needs you now!"

Paul roughly grabbed Gary by the collar of his shirt. "Conway?"

"Are you willing to help her? Are you willing to understand she needs you?"

Paul was dead quiet, his eyes wide as he looked at Gary. He was right… she had needed him on the cliff. And after. She'd needed someone to look after her. And even when… when they…

Gary's eyes were wide when suddenly Paul let him go and stumbled back, a look of nuttier confusion on his face before he collapsed on his knees, the hard ground catching him. The brunettes eyebrows raised before he knelt down beside his hunched over friend, reaching out and touching his shoulder. It was only when he saw the glazed over look in those black eyes did he freak.

"Paul? Paul!" he cried, taking the boys shoulders and shaking him, only succeeding in Paul falling forward until his head was resting against Gary's chest.

_She gasped as he ran his hands over her body, toying gently with the bikini straps around her thighs that he knew he'd be tearing off any minute. His lips moved tenderly against hers as he enjoyed the feel of her hands running through his hair, stroking each wet lock with delicate fingers. As soon as she pulled away for a breath though, his lips trailed down her cheekbone, along her jawline then to brush against her neck, kissing, sucking and occasionally nipping the skin. _

_"Paul…" she breathed, pressing her hands against his head to pull him closer. He smirked against her neck before gasping himself as she rolled over on top of him, straddling his hips and giving him a brilliant view of her chest. Leaning down, she attached her lips to Paul's ear and began to nibble on it, hearing him moan and feeling his hands run down from her waist to her hips, beginning to rock her gently. She could tell what he was trying to do so she pulled back the slightest of millimeters and placed her lips by his ear._

_She whispered his name again before suddenly thrusting down on him, smiling at his eyes widening and the small gasp that fell from his lips. She did it again, watching as he moaned under her before she fell into a pattern, rubbing herself against his arousal._

_"Paul." she suddenly whispered in his ear, continuing to rock her hips and feeling his hands moving her faster. "Paul. Paul I need you." she suddenly moaned, watching as he threw his head back, knowing she was talking but in too much pleasure to be able to reply. "I need you so much…"_

_"Dawn…" he managed to gasp before he suddenly rolled her onto her back, making sure to stay firmly between her legs as he began to take her into bliss._

"She did say it. It may have been during… during-"

"Sex," Gary said bluntly and watched as Paul's lips twitched in a small almost smile.

"Yeah. She said it," The purple haired boy looked up at gary, his eyes lighter than before. "Its not the same. But she did say... she needed me."

The brunette grinned before hugging Paul tightly, feeling slightly giddy when Paul returned the gesture albeit barely. But it didn't matter, all that did was that Paul was ready to face what was currently happening to Dawn. After they'd pulled back, and saw Kenny dragging himself ungracefully out of the water, Gary was silent as he tried wording the next sentence in his head, and how to say it to Paul without the boy going absolutely spastic when suddenly his phone went off. His eyes wide, he quickly grabbed it and flicked it open, noticing it was a call.

"_Found him?_" Reggie's rather desperate voice came through the phone. Gary had a moment when he wanted to face palm himself. As he and the delightful Kenny had made their way to the park, he'd recalled up the other search party who were stopping in at another park on the way. He'd been told to call as soon as Paul was found.

"Yeah. We're going to head back to the hall. We'll see you there?"

_"That might not be whats happening… Barry's 'caught' Paul's scent." _Reggie mumbled, and the fear in his voice was rather obvious. _"Incoming in two minutes at max."_

Instantly Gary hung up the phone and looked at Paul with wide eyes. "Um… Barry's going to be here in a minute."

"WHAT!" Paul cried, getting to his feet and glaring menacingly at the brunette.

"Well if you hadn't run away this wouldn't have happened! We wouldn't have that blonde minion trying to find you!"

"But Barry! Why Barry!"

Gary's replied was cut short when he heard a whimper from Kenny. Glancing down at the penguin boy, he saw large, fearful eyes widening as his hand rose up to point behind the bickering two.

"He's here…" Kenny whispered and the other two looked behind them… just in time to see a horror like no other.

Barry was sprinting with inhumane speed towards them, his eyes wide and wild with a brighter than usual glowing amber. In one hand was a ice cream that seemed to be more on his face that in his mouth, and Gary instantly wanted to attack Reggie and Brock for giving… it… sugar, in the other hand though was what appeared to be a branch but was really one of the arms that belonged to Brock's Sudowoodo, the rest of the pokemon behind dragged rather resignedly behind the hyped up moron.

"I'VE FOUND YOU!" came the loud, piercing and slightly deranged call as Barry thumped to a halt in front of them, wrapping both Paul and Gary into a huge hug, picking them up with one hand while still clinging onto the Sudowoodo.

"Should we ever question his strength?" Paul wheezed out as he and Gary were flung around in one arm. Gary just shrugged in response and fell limp, knowing that it was painful to ever be caught in one of Barry's embraces while trying to fight back. Luckily, the purple headed boy beside him copied him and also went limp, waiting for the 'ride' to end.

"Reggie! Look Reggie! Its Paular bear!" Barry screeched dashing towards two other figures that were sprinting as fast as they possibly could towards them.

"I hate that name…" Paul sighed miserably, managing to catch glances of his brother as he was whirled around. Just how much energy did Barry have?

"Yes yes Barry. Good work! Just put them down now… gently!" Unfortunately Reggie said the last part too late and Gary and Paul found themselves ungracefully thrown to the ground, one on top of the other and with pounding headaches.

"Dammit…" Gary groaned as he felt himself being pulled away from Paul, clutching his head with the hand that wasn't being tugged.

There was silence for a moment as everyone managed to regain their composures, and Brock was assigned the task of controlling Barry, before Reggie jumped forward towards his brother.

And promptly decked him.

"You asshole!" he cried, glaring down at his younger brother, his eyes narrow and Gary knew that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of _that _glare. "How dare you run away! And make me freak out! And… ARGH!"

"I'm sorry." Everyone in the vicinity froze and looked down at Paul, who only had eyes for his brother. "I'm sorry Reg. I didn't… I wasn't…"

"Thinking." Reggie's voice was softer now. "You weren't thinking." Paul gave a nod of his head before Reggie smiled and pulled him up, giving him a tight hug. "Don't scare me like that ever again."

"I won't."

"We're the only family we've got," Reggie smiled and tightened the hug. "I don't want to lose you."

"I love you."

Reggie froze, his eyes widening comically as Paul mumbled those three words into his chest and hugged him back. It'd been a long, long, _long _time since Paul had said that to him.

"I love you too Paulie," came Reggie's choked reply. They stayed hugging for a moment before Paul pulled away, gave him a bright smile before turning to look emotionlessly at Gary.

"Where is she?"

…

The doors didn't stand a chance against Barry's hyperactivity. No, the only chance they had was easily destroyed as the blond headed demon ripped them open and flung them aside, before tearing down the corridors at a great rate of knots.

The two people hanging desperately off his back exchanged looks of terror before burying their faces into Barry's back.

"Why… What in Mew's name made you think this was a good idea!" Gary screamed as they crashed through another door, over a table, knocked five people off their feet before careening through into a side room.

"He's fast. And we needed to get here fast," Paul snapped, wincing as some form of debris smacked his elbow. Gary shot him a glare before craning his neck to speak into Barry's ear.

"Take a left… no! Your other left! And go through that door. THE DOOR! Not the wall! Oh Arceus… how are we going to pay for the dam- AVOID PEOPLE BARRY! No! That door! The door straight in front of you! Yes! Good boy! Gary will give you a treat when we stop! Now… left… good… left again… right… RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT! Through that door! The one on the left! LEFT! I said LEFT! Oh wait… go back! The right one! Right! How do you drive this thing… slow down… slow… slow… GODDAMN IT BARRY! SLOW THE FUCK DOWN! WE'RE GOING TO CRA-"

_SMASH!_

Paul and Gary groaned simultaneously from where they sat amid their friends, pain rocking through their heads and their legs as Barry began clawing at them from underneath them.

"Get off…" he whined pitifully and quickly Drew jumped forward and dragged Gary to his feet, worriedly checking his friend over for any wounds or injuries while Ash pulled up Paul, allowing Barry to get up and begin bouncing happily on the spot.

"Paul! Paul you self-centered asshole!" Drew cried as soon as he tore himself away from Gary and flung himself at the purple haired boy, hugging him quickly. "I would give you the lecture of a life time, but right now we need to get to Dawn."

It was then that Paul finally tuned into his surroundings. Drew standing with his hands on his shoulders, analyzing his face for… something… Gary standing right behind the green haired boy, his hand hovering out to pull Drew away if necessary. Ash stood behind Paul, a hand on his elbow to keep him steady while everyone else stood staring, obviously waiting for instruction.

And Barry stood grinning in the middle of the corridor, staring hungrily at Paul, which crept him out extremely, and patiently waiting for what would happen next.

"Barry, open that door," Paul commanded, pointing towards the wall where the music was pounding out from. Without a minute of hesitation, Barry ran at the door, smashing it to pieces and making splinters fly everywhere. Luckily, everyone had the sense to hit the ground, except Drew who was quickly pulled down by his ankle by Paul and covered by Gary.

"Idiot," Gary hissed in Drew's ear, getting a sheepish smile in response before they all took deep breaths.

Time to get Dawn

* * *

**EXPLANATION!**

**Alright, time to explain myself?**

**I'm soooo sorry guys! I've been so busy with exams, it was my first year and I aced those bitches! So I guess my absense from Lucky did me some good! But those were a huge thing so when they started coming around it was either continue writing and possibly fail, or drop writing and study my ass off! But I'm back now!**

**Although after exams there were some HUGE family problems. Won't go into detail but they really knocked all inspiration out of me.**

**The when I did finally get some inspiration back for writing, it wasn't for Pokemon! No! It was for Yu-Gi-Oh! I'm currently madly in love with Yu-Gi-Oh and have an obsession with writing it!**

**But now, after finally getting all exams, family problems, lack of inspiration for Pokemon and everything else, I'M BACK! HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD!**

**STORY DEVELOPMENTS! (For those who want to skip everything above)**

**Now, there are some developments with my story line. I re-read everything I wrote and realised that this story is CRAP. With a capital C! I mean, so many plot twists, and bad grammar, and just horribleness! Its all been thrown into one and I hate it! I contemplated taking the story down and re-writing it, but thats going to take to much time and effort, and I have many other projects I want to work on, so I'm just going to try my hardest to make the story go a little up-hill before it ends.**

**And on that note! It will be ending soon. This chapter, while it is literally a nothing chapter, it is the 3rd or 4th to last one! Yes! Lucky will be finished in three or four chapters! **

**Hopefully I've got my spark back for my writing, so everything should be finished in about a week. I'm almost finished Chapter 25, so that'll be up before or during the weekend! Then its only a few loose ends to tie up, a quick trip to the romance factory then Bippity Boppity Boo! We'll be done!**

**I'd just like to say once again, I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting for this. It was horrible of me to start writing this then not update for months. Naughty.**

**Also, purely because I think it's coming near the end, I thought you guys deserved a bit of humour, so Barry isn't exactly... normal in this. I love Barry. I love Drew, Gary, Paul and Ash too. They're my favourite. Hopefully that won't become to evident in my story and I'll stick to all Ikarishipping, but after re-reading and realising I subtly without actually knowing dropped hints for some pretty awesome shippings I've fallen in love with, I can't promise that.**

**So anyway! Some parts of the rest of the story might surprise you, might annoy others but hell. Its my story. I do what I want.**

**And to you all once again! I'm sorry! But thank you for waiting and sticking around for the rest of Lucky! It really makes me feel special!**

**I love you all! *hands out showers of love and cookies***


	25. Chapter 25

**SORRY! SORRY SORRY SORRY! I FINALLY UPDATED! PRAISE THE WORLD THOU IS NOT DEAD!**

******Really hoped you enjoy this chapter guys, it's a lot darker than normal, very brutal.**

* * *

Paul raced through what remained of the door, his heart leaping wildly in his chest as he felt Gary and Drew behind him, the others behind them. As he was entering, he'd seen Brock and Reggie race down the corridor, dragging a barely keeping up Kenny behind them.

Of course the penguin was bloody slow.

He screeched to a stop though when he saw Conway smirking at him, his glasses glinting dangerously as he cocked his head to the side, the knife in his hand pressed to a terrified Dawn's throat.

"How nice of you to join us Paulie."

A burst of anger exploded in his chest as Paul's vision turned red. He knew he would've leapt forward and strangled the other boy with his bare hands right then and there if it hadn't been for Drew and Gary's hands on his elbows and the terrified look in those cobalt blue eyes he loved.

"Dawn… are you okay?" he asked, trying hard to ignore the creep leaning over her. She gave a very hesitant nod, probably due to the knife, but Paul could see she wasn't. Could see she was frightened, horrified. He could see the tears welling up in her eyes, the way they screamed for help.

It crushed him inside.

If he could, he knew he would storm over there, rip those handcuffs off, tear away the cloth over her mouth, then kiss her into the middle of next week… and then some. But he had to take care of Conway first.

"Leave her alone Conway," he spat, turning a glare that would scare anyone onto his enemy, watching in slight satisfaction as he flinched before covering up with a smirk.

"Oh? And why should I do that? _You_ left her Paul. _You_ ran out on her. _You_ didn't stick around to make sure she'd be safe." A creepy grin curled up on Conway's face as he leaned closer to Dawn. "_You_ didn't stay around to make sure I didn't… _taint_… her."

"If you've touched her-"

"You'll what? Kill me? Oh ho, do try! We'll see how far you get before Dawn here-" he smirked and ran a hand down her face, "-gets the chop."

A shiver of anger tingled down his spine and he moved forward, only to be pulled back harshly, making a snarl tumble out of his mouth as he threw a glare over his shoulder.

"Don't do anything stupid," Gary hissed, before suddenly both his and Drew presences disappeared, replaced by Ash and Reggie. Paul managed to keep the frown off his face but he couldn't help but wonder what the other two were doing.

"-and I couldn't have done all of this without the help of my two little helpers! Ginger Ninja and Cutie Pie!" Conway finished as Paul zoned back in on his little speech.

Dawn's sudden gasp made Paul's head snap to her but her eyes were only on Misty and May as they stood looking at Conway.

"No…" Paul mumbled, his eyes widening as he looked at them.

_"Hey guys! Lets talk in… in code or something! It'll make this video chat more funner!" Dawn giggled, making Paul's eyes roll from where he sat beside her, out of view of the camera but from where he could see the screen._

_"Ooh! That sounds like fun!" Leaf replied, grinning madly as she shouted over the noise of Drew and Gary having a fight in the back ground, Ash and Brock attempting to break them up. Misty and May nodded from where they sat by Leaf before Dawn spoke up again._

_"I vote Misty be-"_

_"Dawn can be Princess!" May cried out, earning nods of approval from the rest of the girls. Dawn blushed but nodded as well, giggling at the name._

_"And Leaf can be-"_

_"El Retardo," Paul muttered under his breath, earning a glare but a small giggle from Dawn._

_"-Littley! Because she's so small!" Misty grinned, nodding her head as Leaf sighed._

_"Pick on the short ones then."_

_Misty and May laughed before Dawn decided to say their nicknames._

_"Misty! You can be Ginger Ninja! And May can be Cutie Pie!"_

_"Agreed!"_

He couldn't believe they would betrayed them, not Dawn's best friends. Never. But…

"Oh where are you two idiots! You're supposed to be up here!" Conway snarled, his eyes running over the group, and Paul frowned when they didn't stop once on May and Misty. Was he wrong…?

"Sorry boss! We were stuck behind them!" a very familiar, high, womanly voice called out and Paul turned to see Kenny and Harley pushing through them all to stand by Conway.

Wait what?

"K-Kenny?" Zoey asked from where she was standing. "H-How? Why?"

"Because," the ginger headed boy smirked and moved over to stand by Dawn. "Little Miss Tussaud here rejected me one to many times." His grin was feral as he leant in to Dawn's face. "If I can't have her, then no one can. Especially not Paul."

"You don't have a right to decide who Dawn wants to be with!" Misty suddenly yelled, stepping forward. Paul instantly swung out an arm and pushed her back, shooting her a glare that said to stay behind him.

"Oh don't I? I think I might do when she's in this position," he replied, shifting a hand and running it up Dawn's thigh, trailing it between the two before attaching his lips to Dawn's throat.

"And I just really don't like you guys," Harley spoke up from where he was standing. Everyone ignored him though, all of them focussed more on Paul trying desperately to rip himself away from Ash and Reggie to literally kill Kenny.

"Oi, moron. Step away from Dawn," Conway suddenly snarled, his eyes glinting with anger.

"But boss! You said I could have my fun with her!"

"Fuck off."

"But-"

_BANG!_

Everyone froze as the gun shot sounded though the room.

And Kenny's motionless body fell to the ground.

Almost instantly the room fell into a mad panic. Dawn started screaming hysterically as Kenny's lifeless eyes stared up at her, Drew and Gary seemed to appear out of no where as they leapt on Conway, dragging him to the ground and trying desperately to avoid the shots he was shooting off, Misty and May began to throw everyone out the door, trying to keep them all safe, Reggie, Ash and Paul raced forward and began trying to untie Dawn while nearby Harley sank to the ground, shot in the neck from one of the renegade bullets.

"Paul! Help!" Dawn screamed as soon as the cloth over her mouth was pulled off, making Paul shiver at the trauma evident in her voice. He tried to yank the cuffs but found it impossible. Luckily, Reggie had the sense to look around for something to retract them back into the chair. A glint of silver caught his eye and within seconds Reggie was standing over Dawn holding down a button on the remote.

And within seconds Dawn was on her feet, crying hysterically into Reggie's shoulder.

"I-I thought-"

"Sssh you're safe now," Reggie soothed, stroking her hair and catching the pained look on Paul's face. After another moment, a loud scream sounded though the room, followed by a "NO!" that rivaled the first scream.

Drew was leaning over Gary, staring down at the gapping hole in his stomach, his eyes wide with horror as Gary's breath began to become shallower and shallower. "Stay with me Gary! Stay with me!"

Nearby, Conway was getting to his feet, a sadistic smirk on his face, his glasses crooked and a bloodied knife clenched in his hand.

"Paul! Get Dawn out of here!" Reggie cried, throwing the bluenette at Paul before both he and Ash charged at Conway. The purple haired boy took only a moment to worry over all four of the others before he quickly grabbed Dawn's elbow and dragged her out of the room.

The bile was raising quickly in his throat as Paul tugged Dawn down the corridor, the sounds of Drew's pained screams of protest, Conway's frantic yells along with Reggie and Ash's almost battle cries made him want to turn around and fight with them. But his priority was in Dawn.

"Let me go Paul. I can run by myself!" Dawn protested, yanking her arm back but Paul's grip was stronger than anticipated.

"I'm not fighting with you now Troublesome-" he inwardly winced as he used her nickname. "-because it's just not worth it. Now hurry up! And keep up!"

She let out a frustrated huff before picking up her speed and began to sprint after him, thankful that she decided to wear flats instead of heels like Harley had tried to get her to do.

…

He didn't even wait for the door to finish swinging open on it's hinges before he was dragging Dawn outside.

"Would you slow down! You've already gotten us lost lots of times! We don't need to crash as well!" Dawn cried as she avoided slamming into the glass. Paul only shot her a look over his shoulder before pulling her down the path in front of the huge contest hall and out on to the road.

Only to freeze in horror.

Standing in the middle of the road was four Rattata's and an Ekans, staring at him with a scary hunger that no pokemon should know.

"They're Conway's."

"How do you know?"

"See the markings on their tails?" he asked, pointing towards the green squiggles that seemed to be engraved on to them. "Conway does that so he knows what pokemon are his. And so he knows what pokemon are strong enough to be under his command."

"That's…" Dawn's mouth open and closed for a moment before she continued talking. "That's barbaric!"

"That's Conway."

Taking a deep breath, Paul pulled Dawn behind him and started walking forward, inwardly flinching when the Ekans began hissing and the Rattata's eyes turned an even darker shade of red then normal. As soon as he pause in front of them, and Dawn began to ask what they were going to do, Paul reached into his pocket and drew out two pokeball's, hoping that the two pokemon in them would be good enough.

"Weavile! Froslass! Hold them off for us!" he cried as he threw out the balls, watching as they exploded, revealing two of his most trusted pokemon. They cried out their names at the same time, determination ringing in their voices before their eyes locked onto Paul's.

Another deep breath was taken before he whispered "Be careful" to them, watching as they nodded and turned back to their opponents.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Paul tugged Dawn down the road the opposite way, trying to force the sound of fighting pokemon out of his ears. He knew that Weavile and Froslass only had slim chances of winning, but he was hoping like mad that those chances were bloody brilliant ones that would save their lives.

"How could you do that Paul! Just leave them there!" Dawn screamed in his ear over the noise, and Paul had to bite his tongue to stop from lashing out at her. Of course she wouldn't understand, of course not. But did she have to make it harder?

"They're well pre-"

A huge explosion behind them cut him off, and out of the corner of his eye Paul saw the front of the Contest Hall explode, showering the road and path with splinters and debris as Conway appeared out of the rumble, a deadly smirk on his face.

"RUN!" Paul screamed quickly, taking off into a sprint as Conway pulled out two pokeball's and threw them up into the air, reveling a Skarmory and Gyarados.

"After them," were the simple cold words.

With the two flying pokemon hot on their heels, Paul began to desperately look for some place to hide, his head beginning to throb from the amount of noise echoing through the street from multiple pokemon… and the maniacal laughter of Conway.

"In here!" he called to Dawn, dragging her up the steps that lead into a church.

"What! A church? I don't know whats going on in your head but-"

"GET IN!" he roared, throwing her through the door just as the Gyarados's hyper beam destroyed one of the poles holding up the entrance, causing it to collapse and bury them in. Without wasting a minute though, Paul was on his feet and sprinting through the entrance hall, into the sanctuary itself, hoping that Dawn was right behind him.

The sound of pounding against the rubble made him glance back, luckily just at the same time Dawn cried his name from where she sat, her leg stuck underneath a huge piece of debris.

"Paul! Paul… please Paul help!" she cried out, tears flowing down her face from the obvious pain she must have been in. Not thinking at all as to how exactly he was going to help, Paul raced back towards her and squatted down, checking to see if she was hurt anymore.

"Alright…" he began, reaching out to stroke her hair as he though about how he could move the hunk of rubble off her, trying to calm the bluenette. "Alright Dawn, take deep breaths… come on take deep breaths with me…" Slowly she began to breath slower and deeper, her blue orbs locking with his own black ones as she tried to calm herself. "This might hurt."

A perching scream of pain echoed through the room as Paul pushed the piece of debris off her leg, wincing as he saw the jagged edges rip through her skin, making her bleed profusely.

"You… you fucking _ass_!" she shrieked, sobbing uncontrollably as she reached forward to press her hands against the wounds. Paul nibbled on his bottom lip and stood up, resisting the urge to scoop her up into his arms and carry her, knowing it would just slow them both down in the long run.

"Come on," he began, offering his hand to her, "We need to go right now."

In glistening blue eyes, Paul could see the amount of pain she was in as Dawn slipped a blood soaked hand into his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Get me outta here. Get us both out of here Paul," she whispered into his ear as she collided with his chest. Paul nodded and gave her a tight squeeze to pass for a hug before pulling away and leading her into the sanctuary, hoping that the rubble would keep Conway at bay long enough for them to find an exit to escape through.

Wishful thinking.

The entrance hall was blown to bit's by a large beam of pure red light, making Dawn scream in horror as Gyarados's head burst through the hole it'd just made. Without waiting another moment that could lead to them possibly being seen, Paul hauled Dawn down the lines and lines of pews, sprinting towards the door he'd spotted on the other side of the room. Knowing that on the other side was the church graveyard… and freedom, Paul ran faster.

"I know you're in here!" came the cheerful, sickening drawl of Conway, making the other two shiver and drop to the ground, hiding in between the wooden seats.

"Keep crawling behind me," Paul mumbled over his shoulder as he began shuffling on his hands and knees towards the door. Dawn gave a small sound of acknowledgement before crawling after him, trying to keep the hysterics building up in her throat at bay.

"Blastoise! Why don't you come join Skarmory and Gyarados in their… _search._"

The familiar sound of a pokeball bursting open followed by the roar of a pokemon had Paul swearing under his breath as he picked up his pace. Only to throw himself backwards and cover Dawn's mouth to stop her from screaming as three red hyper beams flew through the room, smashing pews, the roof, the altar, windows and anything else into fragments, showering the two with wood, concrete and glass.

"I didn't know Skarmory knew hyper beam," Dawn breathed to Paul as he pulled his hand away, trying to find his way through the mess without hurting himself and Dawn too much.

"It doesn't. Conway's Skarmory does." By the look Dawn gave him, Paul knew she was confused. "You've seen the way he handles his pokemon. He's cruel, crueler than me. His pokemon will do whatever he asks if they want to live."

"Who'd want to live in an existence under him…"

Paul didn't even answer as he began to devise a plan, trying to ignore the continuous shouts from Conway and the red beams flying over top… that was until they were suddenly drenched in water.

"He's using hydro pump!" Dawn cried, staring at Paul and wishing he'd hurry up.

"Shut up! I know!" he snarled back, hoping she'd understand he was just stressed and didn't mean to snap. "Look, I have a plan but you might not like it."

"What is it?"

He quickly explained it to her, expecting the reaction he got and he managed to subdue her loud protests before taking a deep breath and telling her it was final. After a few more moments of silence, Dawn suddenly leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Paul's lips.

"I'm sorry for being a cow," she whispered, wincing as another rain of debris showered down on them. "But please don't get yourself killed. Not for me."

With a small smile on his face, mostly from the tingling feeling on his lips, Paul cocked his head to the side and nodded his head. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

More silence…

"NOW!"

The room burst into a flurry of movement as Paul and Dawn stood up, the purple haired boy shoving the bluenette behind him as he dragged out three pokeball's.

"URSARING! ELECTIVIRE! DRAPION!" he screamed, throwing the balls in the air and pushing Dawn, giving her a glance to make sure she was running towards the door, hoping her leg wouldn't cause her to much trouble. Turning his attention back, he saw his three pokemon standing on either side of him, glaring menacingly at Conway and his own pokemon.

"Well well well," Conway chuckled, his glasses glinting evilly. "Seems you've decided to stand and fight. Skarmory…"

Paul's pained scream echoed through the building, making Dawn turn around just in time to see Paul fall to the ground, his left arm hanging uselessly by his side while both that and his back hosed out blood from multiple cuts. Nearby, a satisfied Skarmory was flying off, followed by a very pissed off Electivire. Huge roars echoed through the building as Ursaring and Drapion flew at Conway, attacking both him before taking on Gyarados and Blastoise respectively.

"Paul!" she cried out, changing the plan and racing back to his side, slipping an arm around his waist and pulling him to his feet.

"Dawn… what the fuck are you doing. Get out of here." There was no fire in his voice, only pain and Dawn just about burst into tears as she caught the sight of his face. It seemed his back and arm weren't the only pieces of anatomy that were struck by Skarmory.

"I'm taking you with me," she hissed, pulling him along beside her while trying not to fall from the extra weight. After a few moments of being dragged, Paul seemed to realise she wasn't letting him go and began to put some effort in, hurrying them along with his own legs. As soon as they reached the door though, they faced a problem.

How would they open it?

Fortunately that was soon fixed when a stray hyper beam slammed into in, tearing it in half and flinging it wide open. Dawn quickly pulled herself through, hauling Paul with her until they got to the steps leading down to the graveyard. Almost instantly, Paul pulled away from Dawn, his head exploding with pain but determination running through every fibre of his body.

"Now go. Go Dawn. Go and get the others." He gave her a stern look when she looked about to argue. "Now!"

"I can't leave you!"

"You can and you will." He stepped forward and cupped her cheek, staring into her once again glistening eyes. "Please. I won't be able to live with myself if you get hurt anymore."

"But you might die!"

"Thats a risk I'm willing to take." They flinched as a painful roar pierced the air, before Paul pulled her down the stairs and pushed her in the direction of the small black, wrought iron gates a few meters away. "I'll be fine. Now go!"

"Paul…"

"Get out of here Dawn," he gazed at her, feeling tears prick his own eyes. "Please…"

She gave a small tearful nod before walking forward and kissing his cheek, making sure to let her lips linger for a long moment, "Be safe."

And then she was gone.

…

"Oh my, how very touching."

Paul stiffened as the voice curl around him like a whip, ready to snap tight and strangle him. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Conway exited the church, completely unfazed by the hideous roars echoing out from inside the building. Paul felt his hands ball up into fists, all of the pain coursing through his body turning to a dull throbbing as anger took over.

"Fuck you."

"Now now, thats not very polite-"

"Fuck you Conway!" Paul practically roared, turning to glare with more menace then even he thought he could muster. Conway seemed to flinch, his eyes widening slightly before a smirk raced over those disgusting features.

"Paul, darling-" Paul shivered at the pet name, it was just too weird. "-you know I like you, I wouldn't have spent so many years following you around if I didn't! So lets be friendly here, and let me kill you quickly? I hate to see you suffer."

Paul just spat at him, his face twisted up into anger and pure rage. "Why don't you go fuck yourself."

Conway's laugh echoed across the graveyard, making Paul flinch on the inside at how creepy he was, and sounded. Of course he made himself look stony and hard on the outside, but he was really quite terrified.

"I wonder Paulie, do you remember these guys?" the green haired boy asked as he pulled out some pokeball's, grinning madly as he threw them up into the air and laughing as the pokemon burst out of their home with loud roars of their own names.

Names that made Paul freeze.

A familiar duo of Raichu and Infernape burst out of the balls, their faces turning up into feral grins as they stared with almost hungry eyes at Paul, Raichu flicking it's tail while Infernape cracked it's knuckles. Paul could feel a familiar sense of dread fall over him as he recognized the two, his heart pumping madly as it seemed to crawl up into his throat while the memories surged through him.

_Strong arms, strong non-human arms were wrapped around him, like an unrelenting force that refused to ever let go of him. He so desperately wanted to rip himself out of these arms, these smooth arms that should've been easy to escape from. He so desperately wanted to help tear his older brother out of the arms of that stupid monkey pokemon, the one that was steadily burning Reggie just because it could, the one that had jagged arms thats stuck into Reggie's arms and sides, slicing through the skin every time Reggie struggled._

_He heard himself scream out, tear viciously at the stupid Raichu, trying in so much vain to reach his mother as she was slowly killed before his eyes. He heard Reggie's cries, telling him not to look, but the only thing he was truly registering was the immense pain coursing through him as his father ran into the fray, leading him to his death, his parents both dying in front of him while these arms, these arms just stayed around him, forcing him back, forcing him to just watch and slowly be destroyed._

_"DADDY! HE HAS A KNIFE!"_

Paul snapped back to reality as his own childish voice screamed through his ears, making him let out a gasp as the very very familiar Raichu waved at him with _those arms _that Paul had nightmares about for years and years. His heart was just about crawling out his mouth now as Conway laughed manically at him, an insane grin taking over his features.

"Oh my, seems Paulie has a good memory after all!" he cackled, and Paul realised that Conway must've know what he was thinking about, the memory. His father must've told him all. "Why don't my lovely pokemon here give you a taste of the past? Refresh your memory just that little more... physically."

Within seconds Paul was trying to fight back screams as Raichu's arms were suddenly closing around him again, making him thrash wildly as the memory continued to assault him over and over again, while Infernape reached out and slowly began to burn him, much like it'd burnt Reggie, it's hand trailing down the front of Paul's chest and leaving behind burns that would've made the devil himself cry. Conway's maniacal laughter filled his ears as he squeezed his eyes shut and bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to draw blood, and he tried not to let the bloodcurdling screams tear through his throat as those _burning _hands trailed over his navel and down towards his groin, stopping just above the hip line before shooting back up to touch his cheek.

The cheek that had be brutally scratched by Skarmory's earlier attack.

He couldn't keep back the scream as the cuts were almost set on fire, enough heat to make it unbearable and torturous, but not enough to cauterize his wounds. As Raichu readjusted behind him, he let out another whimper as his useless arm was practically shoved inside his body with the amount of force that Raichu was using to restrain him.

"Enough now, more later," was all Conway had to say to make Infernape step back, but not before sticking a finger in Paul's mouth, burning the purple haired boys tongue then turning away with a sickening grin. Conway sniggered before stepping up in front of Paul, reaching out to tap his nose and stare at those black eyes.

"Is Paulie gonna cry?" Conway goaded, smirking even more when Paul just forced back a swallow and meet his eyes with a level glare. "Gonna run home to your mummy? Oh wait… that's right!"

Suddenly the green haired boy was letting out a gasp as Paul somehow managed to raise a leg and knee him straight in the stomach, before viciously tearing himself out of Raichu's grip, almost getting free besides one hand when Conway looked up, his eyes burning.

"Throw him," he snarled, and Paul was confused until suddenly he felt himself being lifted and thrown, straight into a headstone.

A loud cry echoed through the air.

"You… You little bitch…" Conway sneered as he got to his feet, one arm wrapped around his stomach while the other sought out another pokeball. "You're going to pay."

Paul managed to glance up from where he was curled into a fetal position, just in time to see Conway throw his pokeball which exploded with that powerful red beam. He instantly dropped his head and squeezed his eyes shut, the flash making him want to cry out as his head pounded with a headache. Of course the added sound of another pokemon's loud roar ripping through the air made him gasp in agony as his head split, and he felt tears gather in his eyes. He refused to allow them to fall, knowing that Conway would just laugh at him, call him pathetic, spit in his face and rub it in.

"Venusaur, do me a favor?" Conway's voice floated over to Paul, making him cringe as he forced himself to his feet, refusing to stay on the ground. "Use vine whip."

The purple haired man let out a loud gasp as almost instantly a vine came out of nowhere, wrapping tightly around him and lifting him up into the air, maniacal laughter accompanying him as he went. His already bruised sides made his body scream and he felt himself almost double over, only held up by the thick wraps around him.

"You don't just do things without suffering consequences Paul. Your father learnt that the hard way." Paul cracked open an eye to look down at his tormenter, seeing the victorious smirk curling up on Conway's face and he felt a overwhelming wave of hate fly over him. This bastard dared to bring up his father?

"You will pay Conway, I swear you will pay."

"Yeah yeah, empty threats. Currently I'm the one holding all the cards Paul, how are you going to make me 'pay'?"

Paul just continued to glare, wishing that looks could kill, oh how he wished it. Because frankly, if the could, then Conway would never have existed in the first place.

His train of thought was stopped when a loud explosion rocked the ground Venusaur was standing on, making the pokemon let him go and his whole body had a quick love affair with the ground as he smashed into it, his vision exploding into a thousand black and white dots when his head smacked against it.

"Fuck…" he swore under his breath, using some of the last of his strength to roll over and look towards where the explosion had originated from, his throat running dry and eyes widening dramatically when he saw the smoking ruining of the church… followed by three figures walking towards them out of the smoke, none of which looked like his pokemon.

"Well well well, Paul. Looks like someone finally won," Conway commentated as the three pokemon emerged into clarity, and Paul gasped as the three lifeless bodies of Ursaring, Electrivire and Drapion were deposited in front of him. Somehow his body managed to find one more burst of adrenaline and he was soon racing over to the pokemon, ignoring Conway's laughter as he dropped to his knees besides Electrivire, his eyes welling up with tears as he saw how destroyed the body in front of him was. His mouth slowly opened, his pokemon's name straining to come out, but nothing happened. He just sat there in stunned silence, fighting back the tears that so badly wanted to escape him.

He tried to think of something to say, some words to cut Conway to the bone as he gazed at his dead pokemon, their lifeless eyes staring at him and he felt his heart break. But he was shaken out of his stupor when more roars joined in the rest, and he turned to see the Ekans and Rattata's from before come walking towards them, the barely alive forms of Weavile and Froslass being dragged behind them.

"Ha! It seems all of your pokemon are dead or dying Paul!" Conway was obviously reveling in Paul's pain, grinning maniacally as the other two pokemon were deposited beside their master, and Paul was soon draping himself over them, whispering words of comfort as he tried to avoid the wounds itched on every surface of their bodies. "But there is only five here, and I know you have six. Where is that lovely Torterra of yours?"

"What?" Paul spat, his voice nothing but pure venom as he got to his feet on wobbly legs, his eyes showing nothing but pure hatred while his hands curled into fists. "You want to try take him down as well?"

"Try? Why, I'll succeed. Come on, one more battle? For old times sakes?"

Paul knew he was stupid, more than stupid as he reached for his last pokeball, his hand tight around it while his heart thundered in his chest. If he made a mistake it could lead to Torterra's death, much like the others. He bit back the tears again, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried not to think about his pokemon behind him, and instead focused more on throwing the ball in the air and crying out Torterra's name at the top of his lungs.

The sight of the large turtle like pokemon made relief flood his body, and he felt his legs tremble from that. Knowing his pokemon was there, ready to support him was the best feeling in the world.

That was until he let out a loud scream as a vine whip came out of nowhere, smashing into Torterra and sending him flying through multiple rows of headstones, followed by a smirking Infernape and laughing Raichu come sprinting towards him.

"You're such an idiot Paul!" Conway laughed as he watched his pokemon grab an arm each, dragging him towards the green haired male. "You should've known not to pull your last pokemon, the only one that quite possibly could've saved you, into this! You're a moron, an utter moron!"

Paul felt a scream build up behind his lips as he watched Torterra struggle to his feet, only to cry out as vine whip after vine whip slashed him, beating him to a bloody pulp. He tried to yell out, tell Torterra to fight back, anything! But the restricting paw of Racihu's over his mouth made every attempt redundant, and he was forced to watch as his last pokemon was torn to shreds. His most loyalist friend. He forced his eyes to stay open, hoping Torterra would look his way and see the clear message, the message to get away, fight back, just not give up and accept his fate.

And this time he did scream, in happiness though, when Torterra slammed a foot on the ground and root upon root came out and slammed into Venusaur, sending the pokemon flying.

Conway didn't seem to happy about that at all, and Paul gasped for breath as the two pokemon holding him let go and charged for Torterra.

"TORTERRA!" he screamed, ignoring everything but his pokemon, "DODGE!"

The loud, confirming roar rocked his world as he watched Torterra leap out of the way of Raichu's thunderbolt, only to land in the path of Infernape's flamethrower. He managed to hear Paul's scream of "_defend!_"and he was instantly stomping his foot on the ground to make a wall of roots surge up and deflect the attack. Tuning into Paul's shouts and cries, Torterra instantly began to fight back, dodging the attacks thrown by the electric and fire pokemon, throwing up root shields and when possible attacking them himself, using such attacks as Wood Hammer, Razor Leaf, Earthquake and Leaf Storm. The whole cemetery was rocking with the power being used by all the pokemon, making Paul have to kneel down to keep his balance, and pray that Conway wasn't going to come over and finish him off while he wasn't looking. But luckily the other man was too busy frowning as he watched the fight, clearly trying to figure out a way to stop the unstoppable force that was Torterra.

It wasn't until Paul saw an opening and screamed for Torterra to use bite, only to realise he'd misjudged the situation. As the grass pokemon lunged forward to sink it's teeth into Raichu, Infernape came out of nowhere, it's hand covered in a glowing a light blue as it's eyes flashed a horrible shade of yellow. Instantly Paul recognized the attack as Mach Punch and knew, that no matter how hard he screamed, how fast he ran or thought or did anything, Torterra…

Torterra was done for.

The master joined in with his pokemon as they screamed, both in pain with one collapsing in a dead faint while the other crumbled in a sobbing mess.

"Huh, he put up more of a fight than I thought he would."

Paul's hands tightened into fists, and the stinging sensation followed by the feeling of wetness made him hiss slightly, knowing his fingernails had finally broken skin. He felt his whole world crumble down around him, knowing he had failed his pokemon, knowing that everything was at a loss now. He had no strength to stand up to Conway anymore, he'd killed off all of his pokemon by being foolish enough to think they could take on Conway, he was nothing.

So he didn't even flinch when the feeling of a vine wrapping back around him turned up, nor at the feeling of air whipping past him as he flew through the air, and the scream refused to leave his lips as he slammed into the headstone, feeling the bones in his body break a million times over and blood come leaking out of every wound to cover him. He didn't move when the sound of cackling was over him, he didn't react when Conway rolled him over and spat in his face, he didn't care when the bastard seemed to pull that knife he'd tried using on Dawn out.

Dawn… at least she was safe.

A small smile touched his lips as he thought of the beautiful girl, the one he loved. She was safe, she was going to be happy. Gary and Drew would look after her, and she'd be fine with her life. He couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking of him like he was, and that small smile grew slightly.

His eyes slipped shut as he swung into unconsciousness, his last sight not being of a screaming Conway swing his knife down to claim his revenge, but of a brilliant, beautiful girl who had melted and stolen his heart.

* * *

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated guys! I didn't abandon the story, I really didn't. I just got halfway through writing this chapter and crapped out. Writers block, but only for Pokemon. Weird.**

**Good news! This is almost finished! I put my head down, wrote this chapter! Although how to finish... XD**

**Hope you enjoyed it! SORRY ABOUT THE LATE UPDATE!**

**Promise to update again in another week if not soon :D**


	26. Chapter 26

_"Mummy! Daddy!"_

_The small six year old took the stairs as fast as his feet could carry him, a huge grin splitting his face as his eyes twinkled brightly. His hands clutched a single sheet of paper in front of him and it was clear that that single thing was the main source of excitement. Giggles streamed out of his mouth as he hit the bottom landing and sprinted down the hall, pausing once to peek in the kitchen to see if his mother or father was there, then again at the lounge. His brow furrowed when he saw no one, and he slowly walked back out into the hall, only to stop when he heard loud voices coming from outside._

_The grin was back as he flung himself towards the front door, ripping it open and tumbling out onto the porch, only stopping when he slammed into the familiar back of his brother._

_"Reggie?" he mumbled as he pulled away, slightly dazed. He let out a small gasp to accompany the name when suddenly his brothers hand was over his mouth and wide black eyes, much like his own, were staring intensely at him as Reggie crouched down._

_"Ssh, Paulie. Be quiet."_

_The boy was instantly quiet, only ever hearing that tone of voice come from his father, and even then only on the rarest of occasions when everything was serious as can be. Hearing it from Reggie really scared him, and he flicked his eyes over to look past his brother, surprised to see that the raised voices were coming from his two parents standing by the front gate, and some mysterious man._

_He wanted to ask who it was, but he knew not to annoy Reggie so he stayed quiet, watching instead with curious eyes. The mysterious man looked odd. He had bright green hair, glasses, an angry glare and mean feeling in general. He knew he'd never want to be beside the man if he had to, and the way he was shaking his fist and screaming at his parents made him want them to move away as well. He seemed to be an evil man, one filled with hate._

_How insightful children were._

_"Reggie, take your brother and go inside," his mothers firm voice suddenly shot over to them, and instantly Reggie was picking up his brother and pulling him into the house as told. The small boy fought back, wanting to be near his parents, but his brother was too strong and soon he was being forced onto the sofa._

_He sighed in defeat and slumped back against he pillows, his lips forming a pout as Reggie flopped down beside him, carelessly throwing an arm out to drag him into a one armed hug._

_"Sorry Paulie, but Mum is right. We both shouldn't be out there."_

_"Who is he?"_

_Reggie gave his brother a frown before sighing himself, his head falling back to land against the head of the sofa. "That's Conway Senior. He's the husband of one of Dad's patients, well ex-patients."_

_Large black eyes stared up innocently at the older brother, curiosity shining through them as the brain worked to put puzzle pieces together._

_"Is it Mrs Kane's husband?" he asked, remembering the woman he'd jabbered away to after turning up to his fathers work one afternoon after school. She'd been a happy lady, chatting away about her son, her husband, and how he must be such a smart boy, what with Doctor Zolander being his father. She'd even fished out a lollipop for him from her bag and made him promise to eat it before seeing his brother. _

_He'd actually been sad when he'd overheard his father tell his mother she'd died. They'd told him when he'd asked that she'd just gone to another place for some more treatment, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what they'd meant. Then again they were just trying to protect him._

_"Yeah, he's not too happy Paulie." Reggie was good, he knew how smart he was. His older brother never held anything from him, always tell him the truth. "He thinks it's Dad's fault Mrs Kane died."_

_"But it wasn't…"_

_"Grief does strange things to people sometimes," Reggie explained, ruffling his confused brothers hair as he did so. He may have been smart, but the young boy didn't always understand everything as to how they were, his childish mind only seeing the obvious instead of the details. It was normal really._

_They lapsed into silence, both brothers lost in their own thoughts as the sound of voice still wandered in from outside. It made them cringe to know just what it possibly was all about, and the youngest boy felt his bottom lip wobble and a small noise slipped out, one of despair._

_"Whats that you have Paulie?"_

_The smaller boy looked up to see his older brother smiling down at him, reaching out to take the picture grasped tightly in his hand. He smiled back and suddenly bounced up on his knees, leaning on Reggie's shoulder as he began to point out the people in the picture._

_The picture that was of him, Reggie, his mother and father, Uncle Hael, Drew and even the pokemon they were given the other month, the ones currently curled up in the spare room upstairs. The older brother reached out a hand and stroked all the faces, smiling at the amount of detail that the six year old had put in. His brother had always been good at art._

_"You can keep it if you want? After I show Mummy and Daddy?"_

_The small boy had that curious look back on his face as he watched Reggie raise his head, nodding it in agreement as he continued to stroke the piece of paper._

_"This is our family? Right?"_

_The youngest nodded his head happily, reaching out and placing his hand over Reggie's._

_"We'll always be together! Always!"_

…

The purple haired male let out a stunned gasp as his eyes flew open, his body already moving to sit up in surprise. His brain registered the small amount of surprise he got when no pain followed the sudden movement, but it disappeared as he cried out at the blinding white light attacking his eyes relentlessly.

"Ah Paul, you're awake."

Said man groaned as he pulled the arm that'd tried to protect his eyesight away from his head, squinting over to where the almost hypnotic voice came from, only to frown when he saw nothing except a huge, endless void of just blinding white. Nibbling on his bottom lip, like he was so fond of doing when utterly confused, he slowly climbed to his feet, this time actually registering the no pain thing, and began to look around in confusion.

"Where am I?" he called out, not expecting an answer but also expecting one at the same time. That voice had to have come from somewhere right?

He began to slowly turn around, trying to find something that could help him out, making sure not to twist himself up and fall over.

"Paul."

A yelp tumbled out of his mouth as his eyes locked onto… _something_… and he almost crashed back down on the ground in surprise. The person looked back at him with wide blue eyes, its head cocked to the side in confusion.

He looked back up, staring at the person in front of him with as much confusion as it had. Where the hell had this small… child come from? Let alone a child that so obviously stood out, he thought as he scrutinized its appearance. Pink shorts, pink shirt, blue socks, pink shoes, and bright pink hair weren't exactly something one would miss when looking around in a pure white void. Especially when this person just so happened to have a pair of ears and a long tail sticking out of it.

And it was certainly that, an it. Because no matter how hard Paul looked, he could not tell if it was a girl or a boy. Sure, all the pink it was wearing made him instantly think girl, but it's figure was that of a small boy around the age of six, and it was wearing the clothes that a young boy would've worn way back in the 18th century.

Down right confusing? He thought so.

"Paul? Are you alright?"

And that _voice_! It was completely neutral! It didn't give anything away! In fact it just sounded like some sort of hypnotic, childish voice that made him want to bubble with excitement at fall asleep at the same time. It was calming and soothing, yet also happy and exciting? It was just pure insanity.

"_Paul!_"

"What!"

Realising he'd just snapped at a child, _a child_, he instantly slapped a hand over his mouth and looked at it with wide, apologetic eyes. He hadn't meant to, he was just so wound up from not knowing what was going on. And he always liked to be in control.

But it didn't seem affected at all by his outburst. No, instead it just giggled and walked towards him, hands clasped together behind its back as it approached him, its head still cocked to one side before suddenly it was in the air, directly at eye contact with him.

Oh, he just gave up.

"Do you know where you are Paul?" it asked, and Paul had to look past the fact that it's eyes were not only an intense shade of blue, but also appeared to take up almost half of its face. Swallowing the lump in his throat though, he managed to force out the words.

"No idea. Mind telling me?"

There was another giggle and the strange creature was suddenly back on the ground, beaconing for him to follow it. Not wanting to annoy the creature that clearly owned… wherever the hell he was, he began to walk beside it, purposefully shortening his strides to walk at its speed.

"You're in the, limbo world I think it's been called?" it glanced up at him, and with a smile that both made Paul's heart melt and freeze at the same time, it reached up to gently take his hand. "You human's named it that when one too many chose to go back to the living world instead of dying."

"Chose?"

"Yes, you can choose. That is unless you have no chance to really live. Then you have to die." Another weird smile. "Sometimes they get to go back to say their goodbyes though! This is where people in… what was it? Coma's? I think so. But it's where they all are!"

Paul frowned and looked around, trying to find traces of other people. If this… thing… was speaking the truth, wouldn't he be seeing thousands of people from all over the world milling around? Some of them maybe begging and crying? It was stark and empty, completely voided of people so he highly doubted that-

"Stop looking, you won't see any of them."

He jumped as it intruded his thoughts with it's strange voice, and the tugging on his hand made him look down at the small creature. It really was scaring him, yet intrigued him.

"Why?"

"Because, this is your limbo. Not anyone else's."

"So you're saying everyone has their own... limbo?"

"In a manner of speaking." The creature smiled brightly up at him before it tugged him forward and Paul let out a gasp as he toppled forward, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he waited for the impact of the ground.

Only to frown when nothing came.

He slowly cracked open an eye again, before both flew open and he sat up, looking around the… movie theatre?

"What-"

"Ssh! We're getting to the best part!" the creature interrupted, and Paul looked to his right to see it sitting beside him, one hand still clutching his while the other was buried deep in a box of… popcorn?

Okay, this was seriously getting out of control.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the front, surprised to see a movie on the large screen in front of them, and it was at the perfect view point as well. Then again, they were in the exact centre of all the seats. But it wasn't all of that though that got to him, not yet. No, it was the people he saw on the screen.

"Drew… Gary?" he mumbled in confusion, before he watched in stunned silence as the two threw themselves at each other, clutching on as Drew cried into Gary's chest and the brunet attempted to sooth his sobbing… friend? For some reason, the delicacy that Gary was showing Drew screamed a lot more than friend. But before he even had time to ask the strange creature beside him, the image of the two faded and flicked to one of Reggie.

Paul frowned as he watched his brother stand at a window, peering out of it as if searching for something. It took him a moment, but he finally recognized it as… his own room back at their house. The room that Reggie had always stood in to wait for him to come home considering it had the best view of the front yard and road leading up to it. Once again, he was about to ask a question when he was stopped by the sudden image of Reggie leaning forward, pressing his forehead to the glass as tears streamed down his face and his arms came around to cradle himself.

"Reggie?"

"I said be quiet!" the creature snapped beside him, lightly tapping his hand as if to reprimand him before turning its attention back to the screen, in time to watch as it went to the next person in the montage of what appeared to be drama.

Ash sat quietly between Misty and May, holding their hands tightly as they continuously glanced towards the far side of the room, where Paul recognized a patch of green hair and brown hair. Their eyes screamed worry and concern, but none of them got up until Leaf rose from where she'd been out of shot, her face a mixture of fury and sadness as she began to make her way over to where Drew and Gary were having their private moment. Within moment, May was out of her seat and grabbing Leaf's shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug as they cried. Whether over having lost their love interests, or for the same reasons as the others it wasn't clear.

The next clip was of Brock sitting beside an oddly quiet Barry, one hand on the blond's shoulder as he talked to Nurse Joy, his gaze flickering between the pink haired nurse and a door to his right. It was odd to see him looking so serious, and not flirting with the gorgeous woman in front of him. Paul watched quietly as Brock appeared to thank the nurse before turning fully to look at Barry. He managed to catch the brunet mouth something like "Reggie" to the blond before he turned and walked away, leaving Barry by himself with watery eyes.

"What is this?" Paul suddenly burst, his eyes wide. He didn't understand anything! When the creature didn't respond he grew even angrier until he was about to turn to stare at the thing beside him, only to freeze at the next image.

Dawn, sitting on a chair beside a blurred out figure on the bed. Her eyes were red, her face blotchy and drawn, her bottom lip was quivering and tears streamed down her face at an impossibly face rate. Her hand was clenching another, a much darker and tanner one than her abnormally white skin, paler than normal, and for some reason Paul felt a wave of dread wash over him as he watched the girl he love throw back her head and open her mouth in what he knew would be a scream of pain.

The last thing he saw was the door burst open and the others come streaming through before the screen went black.

It took him a long moment, a very very long moment to get a hold of himself before he was turning to look at the creature beside him, his heart thumping at the pain he saw in those blue, blue eyes.

"I don't like torturing you Paul, not at all. But you had to see that."

"What…" he trailed off before squeezing his eyes shut and forcing out the words, "What was that?"

There was a small hum of acknowledgement beside him, but it wasn't until he once again opened his eyes did the creature reply, it's eyes downcast with pain and torment at knowing it was causing Paul pain he'd never felt before.

"That was what will happen if you decide to die."

"If I decide?" Paul frowned, staring with confusion at the small creature. "I have a choice?"

"Of course you do!" it exploded, glaring at him with those wide, innocent eyes. Yet somehow they still managed to make Paul, _Paul_, the king of glares, freeze and his blood run cold. "If you didn't you wouldn't be here! The people who are most certainly going to die would be dead right now. The limbo is only for those deserving of having another chance at life!"

"Could've told me that earlier," Paul sighed, rolling his eyes as the new information fitted itself into his brain. So he was allowed to choose? What a stupid thing to do. "Why would you let me choose? Its obvious I want to live. Why would I want to die?"

A smile like that was enough to send even more chills down Paul's spine, which was weirdly unnatural. Nothing he'd ever known could scare him like this, or give him the shivers exactly how it was. It had to be some sort of supernatural being, more than what he'd originally thought, and it definitely had to be powerful. But before he could once again ask any sort of question, that weird mind-numbing voice echoed through the room.

"I'm glad you asked."

Next think Paul knew, tears where threatening to stream down his face as the image of his parents appeared on the screen.

They seemed happy, so happy as they stood together. Behind and in front of them stretched a huge meadow, surrounded by trees and Paul was instantly reminded of his parents love for nature. That was the one thing he clearly remembered about them, their readiness to always be outside. He watched with a lump in his throat and tears welling in his eyes as there appeared to be music around his parent's, followed by the sudden appearances of other couples dancing around them. Children, teenagers, adults, every age and size were twirling around the clearing, and he watched in a captivated trance as his faith bowed to his mother, offering his hand as he swung her into a dance, their laughter and happiness clearly written all over their faces.

The screen went black.

Paul jumped as he felt a drop of wetness land on the back of his hand, and slowly he reached up to brush the water away from his cheeks, only to stop when a different sort of hand reached up to brush them away. He stared in a mixture of wonder and nervousness as the creatures tail came out of nowhere and brushed his face, wiping away the tears gathering there.

"That is why you might choose death Paul, because your mother and father are waiting for you. They know you're here, they watched the whole fight. They saw it all Paul, and they're proud of you," the creature whispered, her eyes making and maintaining contact with Paul's glistening black orbs. "Yet, they worry for you. They're scared, and want to see you. It's touching, how much they care for you." The smile that was present on it's face took a turn for sadness, and Paul felt his heart drop. "They're sorry you know? Sorry for leaving you and Reggie. They never wanted to, but the wounds they took were too great to be able to give them a choice."

"To great?" Paul exploded, his eyes wide. "Mine are worse then theirs ever were!"

"That's where you're wrong," it sighed, seeing the signs of too much stress raging on Paul's face. "See Paul, their wounds were inflicted by a human object, and it was repetitive. Your more serious wounds were caused by pokemon themselves, meaning that you were sent here. To me. Where I could heal parts of you whilst you are here in the limbo." Seeing the confusion on his face, the creature sighed once again and tried to restart, make it more simpler. "This limbo is for those mortally, or almost mortally wounded by pokemon. You choose to live of die here, and if you live I heal you, if you die you don't need to be healed."

"Why… but their wounds… Mum was-"

"She was finished with a human knife. I don't know if you saw it. If that hadn't happened she could've live, she could've come back to you and Reggie. But Conway Senior stopped that."

Paul stayed quiet, his head down with his bangs covering his face as the final bits of information slotted into place.

"So you're a pokemon then?" he asked, not looking up. The creature smiled and whispered a quiet affirmative. "What kind of pokemon are you?"

"Just one of the many. This is not about me though, this is about you. I don't have much more time to spare, and you must make a decision."

The purple haired man groaned as the theatre disappeared again, and he was suddenly standing back in the white void, the now established pokemon gripping his hand tightly as he readjusted his eyes to the blinding light. It was truly painful, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of idiot came up with the colour schemes for this place.

"You have two choices Paul," the pokemon spoke up, it's eyes flashing a deep red and Paul watched in slight awe as all white disappeared and instead was split in half and replaced with two new scenes. On the left half was a meadow, much like the one he'd seen his parents in before, beautiful and luscious. While on his right was an almost exact replica of Veilstone, the outskirts of the city where his home was. The one he'd seen Reggie in before.

He turned to look at the pokemon, and frowned when he saw the eyes flash red again. What more could it possibly add?

So when he turned back to look, he instantly felt his heart jump into his throat and a small strangled gasp made its way out of his mouth when he saw his loved ones all staring back at him. On the left his mother and father stood, watching him with those kind eyes and expressions that he remembered so well despite only having seen them in photos for so many years. His mother was wrapped in his fathers embrace, their hands clasped together showing a perfect union, and Paul found it hard to look away. To his right though was the four other most important people in his life.

Dawn stood at the front, one hand reached across her body and clutching her elbow as a sign of insecurity, and Paul felt his heart skip a beat. On her left stood Reggie, his ever so loyal brother with his hand on Dawn's shoulder while her other shoulder held Gary's hand, the brunet standing right behind her with his other arm wrapped around Drew's waist as his cousin looked at him with a small smile touching his face.

"Just friends my ass…"

Paul vaguely noted the small, innocent looking creature beside him's sarcastic remark, and he knew that if he'd really being paying attention he would've had to have done a double take, but for now he was too absorbed in the fact this two families, the two groups of people he loved more than anything were so close to each other, but so far away.

And he could only go with one.

"Will I remember this?" he asked quietly, voice smaller than it should've been. "Will I remember any of this?"

"No. Not a thing."

He sighed, his heart aching over the decision. He wanted to be with both, wanted it so bad.

"I-"

"Only one Paul. No arguing."

The purple haired man swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing himself to think clearly. He wanted both, yet wished for the choice to not be there at all. It crushed him inside as he stared at the groups, trying to work it out.

He was about to turn back to the pokemon, to see if he could make a deal one more time, but was stunned to see it wasn't there anymore. Instead, now floating in front of him, directly between the two groups, was none other than pink, cat-like pokemon, one he'd never seen but had always heard of. And as he saw it for probably the first, and possibly only time in his life, he couldn't stop himself from catching his breath in awe of its beauty.

"Mew…"

"_Make your decision Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez, you're out of time._"

He swallowed hard, tearing his eyes away from the adorable, yet still intimidating pokemon and slowly nodded his head.

He'd made his decision.

And as he stepped forward, he hoped he hadn't made the wrong one.

_"PAUL!"_

* * *

**Oh lord, I really suck at updating. MOCKING FACE!**

Only two more chapters after this guys! TWO MORE CHAPTERS THEN GOODBYE LUCKY! Trying to figure out if I'm sad or glad that it's finishing, a bit of both really.

**And honestly? I'm so unhappy with this chapter. But I have no idea now how to finish the last two. Writing them both at once, because I have skills.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Woot woot! Updated faster than normal. Thats slightly scary. Please read the note at the end guys.**

**Enjoy the second to last chapter guys!**

* * *

The light was bright. Extremely bright at first. His tired eyes screamed at the sudden attack and he wanted nothing more than to throw up a hand and block the light out, only he couldn't. He couldn't move anything except his eyes.

The sound of his name rang through his brain, seeming to crash into all the walls of his head and ricochet off everything. He winced at the pain, escalating what he figured to be a headache into something more and the vibrancy of the lights almost became too much.

He was about to close his eyes, squeeze out the pain, when suddenly two balls of colour were taking over his vision while voices echoed in his ears. All he could see was blue and green, the painful light gone now but swapped by the feeling of being… crushed. The pain of his battered body being fully unleashed as every part of him screamed in agony.

Two names he vaguely recognized were called out and the two blobs of colour were removed, only to be replaced by one brown one. His voice was called again, and again, and again but nothing he did allowed him to respond. He so did, he wanted nothing more than to cry out and beg to be released of this horrific anguish he was in. His mouth opened in a soundless scream and everything that was originally blurry became even more so as it escalated, growing larger and larger until he felt all of his limbs on fire.

His eyes rolled into the back of the head as blackness took over, the faint feeling of cooling water beginning to replace the burning fire.

…

Paul groaned as he woke up, stretching his back by raising his arms in the air before collapsing back on the couch, his eyes blinking rapidly to remove the blurry sleep from his eyes.

"_Dammit Drew! I told you not to use the wooden spoon! THE MIXER!"_

_"Whats the difference!"_

_"I'll show you the difference!"_

His eyebrows quirked as he looked toward the lounge entrance, trying to see past it into the kitchen where Reggie and Drew's voices were carrying in from. All he got instead was a scared looking Gary as he raced in, clearly trying to avoid the bomb fight that was clearly about to erupt… in a place full of knives and other such dangerous cooking utensils.

"You're awake!" the brunet cried once seeing the purple haired man on the couch who gave him a raised eyebrow. With a grin he raced over and dragged Paul into a tight hug before collapsing on the seat beside him.

"Whats going on in there?" Paul asked, not fazed by the sudden contact of his friend. Gary flushed red and laughed, scratching the back of the neck while giving the door an awkward look.

"They wanted to make a cake to celebrate your… fast… recovery. Drew's doing it his way, Reggie's doing it his and lets just say their own ways don't exactly correspond."

Paul laughed, rolling his eyes at his brother and cousin's idiotic antics. He'd found it quite odd how the two loved each other to pieces yet never _ever_ seemed to actually coordinate on anything together. Both of them were just too bloody bullheaded. Must be a Hayden thing.

"How're you feeling?" Gary finally asked after a long moment of silence, the two having been sitting contently in a comfortable silence. Paul looked up at his friend, a kind smile appearing on his face. He was genuinely touched at the concern Gary had for him.

"I should be asking you, you're the one who got shot." Paul pointed out the bandage visibly wrapped around Gary's naked torso. It hadn't been a problem for him to walk around with no shirt on at home, finding it more comfortable than having a shirt rubbing against the bandages and drive Gary insane, but Paul still wasn't that used to seeing his friend half-naked all the time.

Gary's laugh echoed through the room and he shook his head, his hand moving down to rest lightly against his stomach wound. "I'm fine, Paul. Drew keeps me stocked up on pain meds all the time and it's healing pretty fast." His black eyes were suddenly on Paul's own onyx ones and his face was hard. "Although, I'm not the one who was thrown around by Conway and his pokemon, was unconscious in hospital for four days, woke up and promptly passed out again only to have half my wounds, the ones created by pokemon oddly enough, healed."

A bitter smile came onto Paul's face, "Exactly. Almost all of my wounds were created by a pokemon."

"Paul, you still have broken ribs, a whole arm and hand that's been shattered, your knee is completely busted. I think you might have a bloody limp for the rest of your life and lets not go into the amount of cuts and bruises you still have." Gary sighed and reached up to touch the long scar down one side of Paul's face, making the purple haired trainer flinch. "And despite all of the pokemon wounds being healed, including all of your burns and cuts and other broken bits and pieces, you still have this stupid scar from Skarmory you're going to have for the rest of your life."

"Not to mention the one on my back and arm," was Paul's resentful reply, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at his lap. "I know Gary, I know all this."

"Why didn't you let us help you earlier Paul?"

The trainer laughed at the researchers question, despite it sounding hollow and hard and making the brunet flinch.

"Help? You got shot Gary. All of you have cuts and bruises! Dawn herself has a fucked up leg just like me! Drew managed to almost have his throat cut when I left by fucking Conway! Reggie… Ash… all of you have something! I can even list them all!" Paul's voice hitched and Gary watched in surprise as the trainer lent forward and pressed his forehead to his knee. "N-Not to mention my pokemon…"

Gary was instantly reaching out, grabbing his friend and pulling him into a hug as tears began to trek down the purple haired mans face. Every time Paul thought of his pokemon this happened. Every time he thought of Ursaring and Drapion, already claimed by death, or Torterra and Electrivire who were hanging cautiously in the balance of life and death, or of Weavile and Froslass who were slowly, and only just recovering. It broke Gary's heart to know that Paul hated himself even more every time they were thought of or mentioned, and he squeezed the man tighter against him as he fought back his own tears.

"Sssh Paul… it's okay…"

"Why? _Why_ did you have to save me?" Paul suddenly cried, his heart aching and head hurting. "Why couldn't you have just let Conway finish me off? Then… then… I wouldn't have to deal with _this. _I wouldn't have to watch my pokemon die, or see you all hurt, or _anything_."

"Paul. Shut up." Gary's voice was filled with authority and he pulled the distraught man, fixing their eyes together. "We all love you Paul. It's not you're fault."

"It is-"

"It's been two weeks Paul, it's time to calm down. Time to start thinking about what you're going to do. I know two weeks isn't long, hell I don't think you'll ever really get over this, you _will _be scarred, but we're all here. All of us will help you." He smiled brightly. "Dawn will be there."

A small smile graced Paul's face, and Gary felt a hint of relief wash over him.

"You never told me about you and Drew."

And then it was gone. For a moment Gary wondered if the medication Paul was on made the guy bi-polar or something, but seeing the hurt and pain still lingering in black eyes much like his own made him realise that Paul was just trying to distract himself, to get away from everything. Maybe discussing such matters would.

"W-What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," Paul laughed, moving away to sit against the armrest, his non-bandaged leg pulled up for him to rest his broken arm on top of. "Since when?"

Knowing there was no way around it, Gary awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Since about a year ago."

"And how long have you liked each other?"

"… since I was twelve and he was fifteen."

"And you only got together now? When you're nineteen?" Paul rolled his eyes. "So you've missed out on… four years you could've had?"

"Technically three."

"Shut up," Paul waved his hand as if to dismiss the thought. "Why didn't you tell me?"

It was Gary's turn to laugh, and he did, loudly. It sounded more sarcastic than real though, and soon he was looking up with hard eyes at Paul.

"We're together Paul," he stated, "As in gay with each other. You all thought I was with Leaf and he was with May. What kind of reaction do you think this would've gotten?" He took a deep breath and looked away, eyes trailing over to the doorway to were the loud crashing in the kitchen seemed to have died down. "We… we didn't want you to feel awkward with us. I mean we're your best mates, and if we're gay for each other and you're not comfortable and-"

"Idiot."

Gary was stunned by Paul's sudden statement, and he was able to see the genuine grin on Paul's face when he glanced over.

"I would never be ashamed of you guys, nor would I care." He reached out to place a hand on Gary's shoulder. "As long as you're happy and not hurting anyone. Life's too short to worry man, just be happy. And it'd be nice to have Drew pull that stick out of his ass for once." Paul laughed at the thought before a cheeky grin came over his face, one that made Gary pale. "Only to be replaced by yours right?"

"_Paul!"_

The incredibly girly shriek and echoing laughter managed to gain the attention of Drew and Reggie as they stumbled into the room, covered in white powder and wearing identical looks of both confusion and adoration as they looked over at the blushing Gary and almost hysterical Paul. Taking a few steps forward, Drew was clearly game enough to come near.

"What are you two talking about?" the moss head asked, looking down at the brunet for an answer but only received an even more intense blush and Paul pushing himself even harder as his face twisted up into pain and joy from the laughing hurting his ribs. Drew raised a clearly unimpressed eyebrow and was about to put his hands on his hips when Gary finally spoke up.

"He's okay with it."

"Okay with what?"

Drew let out a squeak to accompany the question as Gary reached up and dragged him down into a tight hug, their lips crashing together into a fast kiss. Paul was able to shake off the hysterics for a brief moment to watch before he fell into another round, pelting out laughter even harder when the two men broke apart and Drew smacked Gary on the head, leaving a large dust cloud and white powder in Gary's hair behind.

"Idiots."

…

_Flashing lights, brilliant flashing lights filled his vision as his eyes popped open. Colours of every kind flickered around him, making him gasp at the slight beauty of it. A flash of blue, a dashing of yellow, a splattering of red, everything that could possibly be there was. He slowly rose up, wondering here he was but too captivated by his surroundings to care._

_"I just don't want Ketchum to blame me for your death for the next ten years!"_

_His breath hitched in his throat as everything dimmed, a sudden flash of black and suddenly an image of… himself was baring down at him, lips curled into a snarl as he spat those hateful words. He remembered them so well, so clearly, how he'd snarled them so viciously at Dawn when they'd first started to travel together._

"_Don't even think to touch me. Ever." _

_Another hateful face appeared, making him stumble back. What was happening? Why these images? These words? These awful feelings? Why were they causing this unashamed feeling of doubtless terror in him?_

"_Paul, Just accept that she's changing you. She has been for years. Just admit it to yourself." _

_The bright colours were back, except this time it was as if they wanted to suffocate him. He heard his brothers words, by didn't see Reggie face as he spoke them, over and over again like some sort of rhythmic beat that made him want to tear his hair out._

"_What happened in your past Paul?"_

_Dawn? Where was she? He glanced around for her, hopeful enough to wish she was here in whatever hell hole this was with him._

"_My parents died when I was six and a half. Murdered. Both of them."_

_The old conversation… he remembered it. On the bed in the Pokecentre. His heart attacked his throat viciously and his attempts to find Dawn were even more strained._

_"YOU TRY HAVING YOUR PARENTS MURDERED IN FRONT OF YOU! SEE HOW YOU FEEL!"_

_He froze, completely still and he swore that the colours were no longer glowing, instead moulding into some black cloud that wanted to suck him up remove him from existence._

_"We're too different from each other. No matter how much you change me."_

_No… he remembered this. Desperate to tear himself from the over powering voice overs, he began to run, pushing past the suddenly solid lumps of grey masses littered everywhere._

_"I don't even know you!"_

_Go away! he tried screaming but no voice came out, only a rush of wind that soon evaporated as if nonexistent. _

"_Fight for her? Honestly? I can't be bothered fighting. I've had enough. My heart can't take this anymore." _

_He hated those words, he hated having said them, hated how stupid he was to have thought them. How could he? How could he have given up? Fallen victim to his heart? Since when did he even have a heart?_

"_I hate myself. I hate hate HATE myself. Its my fault!"_

_He did! He cursed every second of this nightmarish hell he was stuck in! All because of himself, and his brain and nothing but his own rotten luck! Even his own thoughts in this world was turning into a jumbled mess, ones he couldn't understand and he just about choked on a rush of air as it screamed its way down his throat._

"_Love you? That's pathetic. Why would I ever love a troublesome, weak girl such as you?" _

_Dammit! He wanted to defy those words, take them back, refuse them to be true. Instead he squeezed his eyes shut as if to ward off the voice before he was suddenly flying forward, the ground rushing up to meet him._

"_No, Paul. You're pathetic." _

_He was. Damn, Dawn was so right. He was pathetic. Every part of him was pathetic._

_"You left her, Paul. You ran out on her. You didn't stick around to make sure she'd be safe. You didn't stay around to make sure I didn't… taint… her." _

_The voice of Conway made him want to scream harder, but nothing happened except his body curling in on himself and beginning to rock on its own accord as every memory of that dreadful moment of seeing Conway holding a knife to Dawn's throat surged in front of his eyes, in front of the suffocating blackness._

_"Is Paulie gonna cry? Gonna run home to your mummy? Oh wait… that's right!"_

_Why couldn't they leave him alone? Leave him to suffer in silence? Dammit! _

_"You don't just do things without suffering consequences Paul. Your father learnt that the hard way."_

_He knew that. He so knew that. Conway's stupid advice, stupid theory, was so true. Truer than true and Paul wanted to scream and shout and deny everything, his hands tugging furiously at his hair but the voices wouldn't leave… wouldn't go. The blackness did though, moving closer and closer with more intimidation than he could handle._

_"How could you do that Paul! Just leave them there!"_

_No… NO! Not the pokemon! Images passed through the thickness now, images of his broken, bleeding and dying pokemon. Weavile, Froslass, Ursaring, Drapion, Electrivire… all of them looking horrible and he couldn't hold back a wretched sob as it screamed its way out of his mouth._

_"You should've known not to pull your last pokemon, the only one that quite possibly could've saved you, into this! You're a moron, an utter moron!"_

_Torterra… battered and bruised as he cried out his name mournfully. Paul reached out with a shaky hand, desperate to run his fingers over the image, maybe try and touch his loving pokemon, feed him some comfort. But his fingers passed right through and his tearful sobs joined that of the wretched cry of Torterra as the image disappeared._

"_DADDY! HE HAS A KNIFE!"_

_A scream left his mouth as suddenly the black surrounded him, crushing him, pushing him down as the images of the alleyway so long ago forced themselves in front of his eyes._

"_SHUT UP PAUL! YOU KNOW THEY'RE DEAD SO STOP KIDDING YOURSELF!"_

_The harsh words of his brother made the tears held back in his eyes start to stream down his cheeks in heavy waves, clawing themselves from his eyes at impossible speeds. He tried to force his eyes close, block everything out but something seemed to hold them open and he was made to watch his brother yell at him, his parents being killed repeatedly in the background over and over again._

_"Grief does strange things to people sometimes." _

_Wise words from a man who knew from experience. Paul tried to fight away the nightmarish creatures surrounding him, forcing him to watch. But his hands glided through nothing, and the pain still lingered. Pressure was on his chest, crushing him slowly and his eyes began to fill with black spots as he began to pass out, tears still falling, sobs still wrecking his destroyed throat._

_"Make your decision Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez, you're out of time."_

…

Paul woke with a scream on his lips, the last image of a bright white flash followed by a pink figure scintillating briefly in front of his eyes, and the sound of a captivating and hypnotic giggle echoed through the room before it fell quiet. The sudden darkness and silence of the room surrounded him and more than being thankful everything was normal, he felt scared, absolutely terrified.

"Paul?"

The door swinging open and Drew flying in made a stream of light come bursting in the room, and all darkness disappeared, leaving Paul gasping for breath as a sense of security washed over him.

"A dream…" he whispered, his head falling into his hands as his elbows rested on his raised knees, "it was all a dream…"

"Paul? Are you okay…?"

The purple haired boys hands tightened into fists in his hair, tugging on the tangled strands messed up from sleeping. No, no he wasn't. Dammit it all.

"Paul?"

"Where is she?"

Drew was silent, a frown on his face as he slowly walked towards his cousin. Curiosity was drawn all over his face, and he wished that Reggie and Gary weren't out. Especially when Paul glanced up, red rimmed eyes that bore into him and tightly pressed lips, with the harsh glare he was known for present on his face.

"Dawn," the distraught man snarled, and Drew recoiled for a moment before suddenly dropping down beside Paul. He ignored the harsh glare, the balled up fists, and simply reached over to tug the other into a hug, hand combing through long, purple locks as he tried to sooth Paul.

"I don't know, Paul. Gary… went to go find her."

"She doesn't want me."

"What makes you think that?" Drew whispered, making sure his voice wasn't too loud so as to keep the calmness of the room there. Paul had finally slumped in his arms, relaxing as he was slowly rocked back and forwards with his hands limp by his sides. "She was by your side the whole time you were unconscious."

"And where is she now?" Paul sighed miserably, trying to pull away but one defiant tug made him just cuddle closer to his cousin, aching for the comfort. "She's disappeared, no where to be found. I don't think she wants me."

"She does have a lot on her plate."

"Don't bullshit me-"

"_No_." Drew's voice was harsh and filled with authority as he pulled Paul back to look at him, "No. Don't bullshit _me_. She has to think Paul, and so do you. We're worried for you both, extremely. I'm terrified you're not going to be okay, but Gary constantly reassures me you will be. And he's never lied to me."

"But-"

"No buts." Drew quickly got to his feet, grabbing Paul's elbow and dragging him up as well. "There will be no more discussion on this. You will wait, you will not be moody. I know this is hard, and I know you just want her to be there to reassure you everything you did wasn't in vain, but Paul, everything will be okay." He touched his cousins shoulder lightly, offering a small smile. "I promise."

For some reason, Paul, despite the forlornness he was feeling from the nightmare and despair he was currently wallowing in, couldn't doubt his cousin.

With a trembling, barely there smile, he shakily stumbled forward to bury himself in Drew's protective embrace.

…

When Gary had come jogging up to her, looking a bit flustered and wind blown from running, she'd thought he was there to reprimand her. Tell her off for not visiting Paul and leaving the poor guy hanging, for not being there for any of them. And frankly, she was terrified of what he was going to say.

She'd gotten a fright when he'd simply crushed her in a hug and hurriedly rushed out a "How _are _you?"

"I-I'm fine," she stumbled out, her eyes wide in worry. Gary pulled back, eyebrow raised as he looked at her, clearly waiting for some sort of correct answer other than the one she'd supplied.

"Really?"

She gave him a small smile, "I've been better," she whispered before turning back to the main road she'd been walking down, gazing at the shops. Gary sighed and fell into step beside her as she moved off, content to let her meander along.

"He misses you."

"I know."

"Do you?"

She stopped, turning to glare at Gary, happy when it made him flinch a bit. One thing she'd picked up from Paul, how to do a mean glare.

"Yes, Gary. I'm positive." She sighed dramatically and moved away from him, pretending to hold interest in a nearby bookstore window, staring at the bright pink book about poffin mixtures. The figure moving up to stand beside her almost made her groan aloud in resignation, but she held it in and instead glared at the glass.

"I don't think you do, Dawn." Her name sounded stupid for some reason. Maybe it was just her agitation? "He's been having nightmares."

"So have I. Reggie said it's normal for a traumatic experience."

"He calls out. For his pokemon. For _you_."

She had no reply.

"He misses you too much, Dawn. I fear for his safety. And I'm not the only one," he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "He's been deteriorating, going completely off the rails. He hasn't been this unstable since his parents died."

The blue haired girl suddenly whirled around, glaring angrily at the brunet. "And what do you want me to do about it?"

"Talk to him? Show him he's not useless. That he did save you. That's what he's beating himself up over, everything to do with everyone. He blames himself for my gunshot wound, all of yours, his pokemon's deaths and critical states, Drew almost dying, everything. He's stuck in some sort of guilt trip. And you might be the only person to help him out."

"How."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. Slowly, Gary turned his eyes to look down at the bluenette with hard eyes, ones that practically screamed how… angry he was with her.

"You're the one who hurt him. You're the one who will fix him. Figure it out.

* * *

**Had a few tears over this chapter guys, true story. I think it's sad to think that this is the second to last chapter. Or third to last. Not too sure how chapter 28 is going to go to be honest, I mean its filled with drama and only half way through, but so many ideas are there and BLAAAHH!**

**I will inform you next chapter.**

**Oh, and yeah I know, Gary and Drew, gays suck blah blah blah. Seriously you guys? I don't need to have messages from people bitching about it okay? Truth be told this was going to stick to be all hetero, but one, I didn't want two useless girls hanging around that add nothing to the story except distractions, two, I freaking love my yaoi at the moment I mean seriously, look at my profile and all but a handful are yaoi ones and I'm beyond guttered that there is no Gary/Drew stuff out there, and three, its MY story. I do what I want.**

**Don't like? Don't read. Don't acknowledge. Just keep your opinions to yourself.**

**But besides that depressingly annoying comment, I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite its nothingness! Comment on what you liked the most, I would love to know!**

**Also, how corny would you like the ending to be? I'm torn between corny and dramatic XD TEEEELLLL MEEE!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Warning: A frig tonne of angst. Like A LOT.**

* * *

She had to admit, being nervous was a bit of an understatement at the moment. Gary's words played through her head over and over, her brain working itself into a frenzy trying to figure out an answer to the accusations and a way to fix this mess they were in.

As well as the overwhelming fear that shot through her body when they returned back to the house, found Paul nowhere in sight and Drew holding his head in his hands, sobbing quietly at the kitchen table.

Gary succeeded in trying to pry the information from the other, asking where Paul was, what happened, how it all happened. Drew managed to mumble out that Paul needed space, needed time, that he was a ruined wreck. When he'd spotted Dawn… well the bluenette was stunned when Drew attempted to lunge at her screaming bloody murder. Gary had reigned him in though, knowing just how distraught the other was, and quickly asked where Paul was before giving Dawn a pointed look.

"Go." He'd almost spat, fury aimed at no specific person dancing in his eyes before he turned to scoop Drew up and walk towards the lounge, softly whispering in the grass heads ear to calm him.

Dawn had felt her world crash down.

Instantly she was sprinting out of the house, trying to picture the way to Veilstone lookout. Drew had mumbled something about that, and she remembered discussing with Paul himself about where he used to go to think about… _everything_ when he was younger, and ever since then. Houses after houses flew past her all turning into a long blur, even the church that was now destroyed didn't catch her attention. It was focused somewhere else, on someone else.

"_Dawn!_"

Despite not wanting to stop for anything, Reggie's voice made her stumble to a halt. After a quick glance at said male, she was glad she had stopped. He looked completely beside himself, overwhelmed with grief as he rushed towards her.

"Reggie?"

"Oh Dawn, Gary just contacted me," he started instantly, sweeping her into a tight hug. "I was worried you weren't going to talk to him at all."

"I… don't know what to even say to him."

Reggie gave her a small smile, before he looked away out over the ranges. "He's fragile, Dawn. Surprisingly. I have to admit, I have never seen him this bad. I guess love can do things that nothing else can." His laugh sounded bitter. "The love for his pokemon was strong. And now… with Ursaring and Drapion gone. Not to mention Electrivire… he just…"

"No." Dawn's heart stopped. Not Electrivire. Paul loved that pokemon more than anything, second to Torterra.

"I know. And Torterra…" Reggie shuddered and Dawn placed a hand on his arm for some comfort. "Torterra's not doing so good. We're trying everything we can, _everything_, but he's not responding. I think he's waiting for his master, whether to say goodbye or to wake up, I don't know. The two are close like that."

She bit her lip, tears pricking her eyes. If Torterra left… what would Paul do?

"Just… trust this, Dawn," Reggie continued, turning to face her again with a small and forced smile on his face as he tapped her chest. "Trust your heart to make the decisions."

They fell into silence.

Not a word was exchanged as Reggie pointed towards a barely visible path, and Dawn was back to sprinting.

…

The sunset was normally something he appreciated, something he always found a sort of admirable beauty in. But all he could see in it now was reds, yellows, oranges. Colours he associated with blood, anger,_ heat_, everything he wanted to remove himself from.

Paul sighed as he looked at his knees, readjusting himself on the giant boulder. He felt horrible, knowing that Drew would take his sudden disappearance hard, and he felt terrible that Gary mightn't have been back for a long time to comfort him. It crushed him inside to know he was hurting his friends.

But it was time he returned back to himself.

He was Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez. He was cold and harsh, cruel and sarcastic, a person able to destroy others with simple sentences and cutting remarks, the person to bring someone back down to earth then stomp them into the ground, the kind of person that was safe… safe from any emotion.

Anything that could harm him.

He sighed as he flicked a stone, he'd been rolling in his hand, over the cliff edge hanging in front of him. He was going to turn back to that person, he really was. Being changed into this completely out of character person was weighing down on him.

Since when did he actually care about anyone? Enough to feel overwhelmingly guilty?

The sound of leaves being crunched and a feminine voice swearing made him look towards the path behind him, completely overgrown and barely accessible. He'd used it so much since he was younger, alway loving the idea of running through bush to his favourite perch.

The flash of blue hair confirmed who he thought it was.

He turned back to look out over the cliff when she called his name, those blue eyes bore into the back of his head. He ignored her though, content in pretending she wasn't there.

Why?

Well it wasn't like she'd be here of her own accord. Reggie, Drew and Gary were the only ones who knew of this place, so she would've clearly asked at least one of them, most likely under threat of death for not being there for him earlier. She wasn't here to speak to him of her own freewill.

The sight of her perching beside him on the rock stunned him though, having thought she'd go home straight away with a "I tried" on her lips, but instead here she was, sitting beside him with her hand sitting beside his, skin brushing skin.

"Do you remember when we met? When we were ten?"

Dawn jumped at his sudden voice, having already resigned herself to his silence. She frowned, thinking hard about the question.

"With Ash-"

"That wasn't the first time we met." His voice was harsh, cutting, and Dawn felt herself shiver. "It was when you were getting Piplup. I was in Twinleaf looking for you, about to leave for Kanto. Reggie had come with me wanting to be there for when I first started my journey, and I was going to ask you to come with me."

Dawn gasped, memories of a purple haired boy running up to her with a smile, calling her name, Kenny coming out of nowhere, chirping out a "DeeDee!", the boy looking hurt, turning and walking away, being pulled away by Kenny…

"I do…" she mumbled, looking at him and surprised to see him looking back.

"I was hurt. More than just hurt. I wanted to be with you Dawn, but I thought you'd replaced me with that stupid penguin." In other times, Dawn would've laughed, but seeing Paul so… _devastated _made her hold her tongue.

"Paul-"

"You used to send me letters until we were twelve. Every week Reggie would tell me, holding up a letter or two. When I'd go home I'd read every single one of them, smell the strawberry perfume that would linger on them. And then I'd put them in a keepsake box, determined to keep them forever." Dawn gasped as Paul leant down and threw a open box on her lap, filled with hundreds of different colored paper, all releasing a strawberry fragrance.

"You kept them? All of them?"

"I used to be convinced I was in love with you," Paul muttered, his voice showing no other emotion except anger. "When Ash came to Sinnoh I thought I could battle him. Professor Rowan thought it'd be a good idea so outside the lab… when we fought…" his voice trailed off before suddenly he was glaring at Dawn, anger blazing in his eyes. "I was stunned to see you with him, but was also happy. I thought we could be together, in whichever way you wanted! But you didn't even _recognize _me!"

Her mouth was hanging open in surprise, complete and utter shock. She hadn't realised…

"I was so a-angry. S-So a-angry." Paul couldn't even form words, his voice was trembling, shoulders shaking, eyes watering, hands curling. He was angry, beside himself, not himself.

With a shaky hand, Dawn touched his shoulder before dragging him into a hug as she rocked them backwards and forwards.

"I-I was going to g-get rid of them," he spat out, despite his voice being shaky and turning into a stutter. "The letters. I thought I could get rid of them and get rid of… of y-you! Maybe then I c-could go back to being me, the _real _me. Not whoever I am now."

"You're the Paul I know, the Paul I want to know," she suddenly whispered, breaking the partial silence she'd been maintaining. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I just… forgot. I got so absorbed in my addiction to coordinating that I just left you… behind. I wrote to you all the time, but I never heard back. It ended up like some sort of therapy for me, like a diary I could send away. I didn't know you were getting them, I thought they were lost or with some stranger. Never did I think you'd be keeping them like this, reading them. I just didn't know. I'm so sorry."

The silence in reply and still body in her arms made the tears in her eyes slide down her cheek, racing to hit her chin and be lost in the plum hair underneath it. It was a plus he hadn't moved, but the fact he was unresponsive…

"My pokemon?"

"W-What?"

"How are my pokemon?"

Dawn was beyond confused, wondering just what was wrong with Paul when he pulled away, eyes hard as he all but glared at her.

"Froslass and Weaville-"

"Are alive. Ursaring and Drapion are dead. What about Electrivire and… T-Torterra?"

Dawn's heart plummeted.

"Paul…"

"Tell. Me."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing it back as she pulled her eyes from his. She couldn't do it, couldn't tell him. It would be crushing for him, destroy whatever hope he had for his pokemon, his life possibly? She was lost and confused.

"Paul-"

"_Tell me!_"

"Electrive's gone. Torterra is hanging there, whether to die or recover they don't know. They think he's waiting for you."

His face was pale, too pale, and Dawn couldn't stop the sudden guilt rushing over her at the way his black eyes went even blacker, duller, emotionless. He dropped to the ground, head cradled in his hands, his shoulders trembling violently. She wanted to fall down too, hug him and comfort him, but her body refused to allow that to happen.

"Paul-"

"I killed them. None of this would've happened if I hadn't let myself have emotions. If I had just shut them away like normal, just pushed away all thoughts instead of listening to them, none of this would've happened. You would've been happily wandering around with Ash and Brock, Gary and Drew would be still locked in the closet but not _afraid _of what could happen to them, all… all of my pokemon…" He sighed miserably, his head turning in the process to look up at Dawn and even her own lip wobbled with the urge to cry. "They would've been alive and well."

"You can't keep beating yourself up about this Paul."

He laughed bitterly, getting to his feet. "Nice to know you're supportive."

"I'm not supportive of a man who wants to wallow in self pity all his life!"

Paul just looked at her, eyes glazed over with anger and what Dawn could only identify as hatred before he stormed towards her, the box of letters in his hands before he thrusted them at her. "Take them," he snapped, "burn them, destroy them, keep them. Do whatever the fuck you want."

She was frozen, her whole body immovable. Except her lips, and she felt a spark of surprise and anger flare through her as they moved.

"You're a jerk, a selfish, bi-polar asshole."

He just laughed, no humor in his tone before he pushed past her, ignored the startled yelp she made when she tripped over. In fact, he only paused once at the tree line, his back ramrod straight before he spoke.

"Did you know, that in what a person believes to be their final moment of life, they will think of the one thing they wanted most in life," he said, his voice hard and void of emotion. Slowly, he turned his head to look down at her. "I thought of you."

…

When he'd left, he'd originally had no idea where he was going to go. All he knew was he had to escape, leave Dawn behind. She made him crazy, his moods swinging from overwhelming happiness that she was actually there to a mixture of hatred and anger from seeing her as the cause of all his problems. He knew it was stupid, but if he hadn't had to travel with her, and having these pesky feelings arise for her, he would've been fine.

So he'd found himself in a bit of shock when he'd finally stopped at the pokecentre, standing outside Room 2735with his heart in his throat as he looked through the window into the room containing his Torterra.

With a deep breath, he opened the door and went in.

It surprised him to see only a single drip going into the heavily bandaged pokemon, especially considering he was basically on death row. But then again, the nurses had mentioned that Torterra was alive by pure will of his own, not because of any fancy machinery. But the fact the curled up pokemon snoozing in a weird coma-like state was living only because he wanted too, because he was strong enough to, made Paul swell with pride.

He didn't linger by the door long, moving instead into the room and settling on the ground beside Torterra's head, pulling it gently into his lap and beginning to pet the skin between his eyes, the place he liked to be scratched and one of the only places not completely covered in bandages.

"Hey buddy."

Of course, after that he was stumped on what to say. What could he say? His pokemon was on the verge of death, completely unconscious, _what could he say?_

So instead he sat there quietly stroking Torterra's head, eyes trained on the window as he looked outside watching the pokecentre surroundings. He watched as birds flew past, forest pokemon skittered around, leaves fell from the trees and the grass swaying gently in the wind. He commented on it all, describing it for Torterra and sometimes his laugh would echo in the room as something in particular would catch his eye and he'd find some delight in it. A few times he'd convinced himself Torterra had moved, made a noise or done _something_, but he was just imagining it, so badly needing the pokemon to move he'd managed to convince himself he had. Eventually he just resigned himself to the fact that Torterra wasn't going to move, and focused instead on talking to him.

He'd talks about everything, all of his woes. He talks about Drew, he talks about Gary, he talks about them together. He laughs out stories of Reggie, mixes sneers and affectionate taunts as he speaks about Ash and Brock, mumbles out the conditions of the other pokemon of his and he fights past the hitch in his voice when he tells Torterra about Ursaring, Drapion and Electrivire. He pleads quietly, asking Torterra to stay, to not leave him alone. But after a few more whispers he quietly withdraws that statement and accepts that if Torterra leaves, he leaves. He even begins to retell stories of his youth, telling Torterra all about his parents, the things he remembers like the way his Mother used to smell, and his Fathers laugh. He laughs as he reminisces about the times him and Torterra, then a Turtwig, used to play tricks on Reggie, Drew and his Uncle Hael. He even sits there and holds back tears as he breathes out his memories of his parent's murder.

It takes him well over four hours to come to Dawn, having artfully avoided the subject throughout his whole monologue. But he finally begins to talk, his voice choking on her name at first before he fights past it and continues. He laughs, he smothers tears, he closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, he speeds up his petting and slows it down many times, he sighs miserably, he sighs contently, he sighs wistfully. He shows emotions in front of his unconscious pokemon he never dares show in front of anyone else.

And when he finally trails to a stop, his lips quirked up into a small smile as he looks out the window, imagining him and Dawn being the two canoodling under the tree instead of the two ralts currently dancing together, his hands slowly come to a stop on Torterra's head. The pokemon had slowly stopped breathing a short time ago, when he'd finally admitted he loved her, a small snort of exhaled air leaving the pokemon nose before the head resting in his lap had become heavier.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Paul leaned forward to give Torterra, his most faithful companion, a gentle kiss, before for the first time in a long time, he let the tears fall.

* * *

**I'm soooo sorry! I hate myself for killing off Torterra, I really do. But I just wanted to finish breaking Paul, like destroy him. I feel dreadful about it.**

**I hope you liked the part with Torterra, I thought that adding in dialogue would kill it. And I always thought that those two could have a sort of conversation that didn't need words in a sense. Crazy? I think I'm speaking it XD**

**But oooh! This is the third to last chapter! The next one is the second then FINAL! I think! I'm sure! I gathered most of you wanted corny drama, so heres the drama, but the next one will still have some then CORNY! ALL OF THE CORNY! I've written some, being in a happy mood, and man, I think I just about puked rainbows writing it, let alone reading it.**

**WOOOO! I love you all, my faithful readers.**


	29. Chapter 29

When they'd received notification that Torterra had passed away, all four of Drew, Gary, Reggie and Dawn had made their way as fast as possible to the pokecentre, especially when it'd been confirmed that Paul had been there. After crashing through the doors and terrifying Nurse Joy with loud demands, they found out that Paul had left long ago.

Taking all of his pokemon with him.

They'd ben taken to the room that had been containing Weavile and Froslass, the last two pokemon of Paul's that'd stood with him, and were given full details about how Torterra had died hours after Paul had visited, had died in his masters arms. Nurse Joy had told them that Paul had appeared to be a lot more calm when he'd left, seeming to have comes to a realisation of something. If she'd know he was… unstable, she wouldn't have let him past.

There was nothing she could say about the pokemon though. The bodies of the others were Paul's to do with as he wished, and Weavile and Froslass were no longer on life support and mostly healed thanks to advanced medicine. It'd stunned everyone when Gary hand slammed a fist into the wall and began to shout accusing words. It'd taken both Drew and Reggie to drag him out of the room away from a tearful Nurse Joy, and by the time Dawn had calmed her down and walked back out, Gary was breathing heavily but a lot less furious.

The walk home had been filled with tension, all wondering if Paul would be home. Or where he was. Or anything.

So when they crashed in the door and started calling out for him, Reggie racing upstairs, Drew outside, Dawn scouring the living room and garage Paul liked to tinker with things in, no one had expected the forlorn cry from Gary as he picked up a note on the middle of the table.

By the time they'd all barreled in, they had time to watch the note flitter back to the table before Gary collapsed in on himself, crying desperately and for once being the one to break instead of desperately holding everyone else together.

_"Dear… everyone really."_

Dawn cringed when Reggie began to read it out, stroking Gary's arm as Drew rocked him backwards and forwards. They were falling apart, the lot of them, and this wasn't going to help.

_"I guess you're back from the pokecentre, if you're reading this that is. Hell, you could've been out looking for me like I'm sure you've all done before. Well, don't. This time just don't. I don't want to be found guys. I don't want to have face all of your sympathetic looks as you attempt to "help me through this". Theres nothing to help, nothing you can do. I have to do this myself."_

Gary was starting to sober up, he'd never been a heavy crier. Once it was out, it was gone again, but Drew and Dawn had locked eyes, both asking the other to confirm that this wasn't true.

_"I don't want to go, but its my fault you're all like this. If I hadn't have done any of this… shit, then maybe we all would've been okay. Gone about our lives in the safety of our own small bubbles where secrets remain secrets and lies stay uncovered. Making that bet with Ash was one of the stupidest things I've ever done, one of the many, but at times I find it hard to regret. But then I think of you all and realise how much I should."_

Reggie looked up at them, wondering just what was going to happen when he finished, when he read the last lines. Gary's reaction had been unmistakably bad, he didn't want to see Drew and Dawn, the more emotional of them. But seeing their stern faces made him swallow the lump and finish with eyes half-closed as he choked the words. out.

_"I don't know where I'm going, or where I'll end up. But I do know that I don't want you to find me, that I don't want to look anywhere for me. I've caused you all so much pain already and I'm sick of being the catalyst. You may think I'm being melodramatic, but I need time to myself and just an escape. A way to get out. Maybe I'll see you all again one day, maybe I won't, but I do know that it won't be for a long time to come. I can't face hurting you all again."_

Drew cupped his mouth and sobbed into in, squeezing eyes shut. So much emotional strain on him in the last few days was slowly… slowly destroying him.

_"On the plus side Reggie, I'm more responsible now. Something you always wanted. And… you were right. Dawn did change me. For the better I don't know, but lets say I guess I can openly smile now, maybe even laugh and cry too? Good luck brother, good luck to you all. Maybe we'll see each other again some day."_

He dropped the letter, not even reading the scribbled out name at the end, just in time for Dawn to tumble into his arms, all of them crying quietly.

This was a mess.

…

Reggie had to admit, when Dawn left with Ash, Brock and Misty less than three days later, he'd felt his heart tighten unbearably hard. She was like a sister to him, and he remembered wishing that maybe Paul would find her again and she really would be. Watching her smile at him, the light not reaching her eyes, as she walked backwards out the gates towards the small trio waiting for her had been the most crushing thing. First Paul, now Dawn, and in a few days Gary and Drew.

When he'd stood on the side of the train tracks, waving at them and pushing back tears, he hadn't expected his world to break. Knowing that the two others of his family were disappearing, to join up with Dawn and co, had been like a knife twisting in his side. Here he was, all alone, while they all had each other. He hadn't expected things to be like this, nor did he expect his reaction to be so… lonely and tortuous. He'd been by himself before, hell he normally was! So why was this so different?

He didn't even put much thought into where he was going as he walked away, so he was a bit surprised when he felt something hit his leg and looked down to see a headstone poking out of the ground. With a quick glance around, he realised he'd made his way to the cemetery, and he saw his parents grave not two rows over. Quietly he made his way over, picking between the gravestones automatically as he looked around. He hadn't realised he'd walked this far, nor for how long. The grave his parents were buried out was at least a good half an hour walk from Veilstone, let alone getting from the middle of town.

His pace quickened though, his head cocking to the side, as he spotted a small piece of paper resting up against the headstone, a stark contrast of yellowy white against the black. Not even bothering to think that it might be private, Reggie bent down and ripped it open, letting pages upon pages fall out into his lap. There were many things, a written letter, a necklace, a collection of old photos, a pair of dog tags, two wedding rings and a small black container. Frowning, Reggie picked through the objects before lifting the photos.

Only to gasp as he realized they were old family shots. Ones of when he and Paul had received their first pokemon, a young Paul being swung around by their father, sung to by his mother, curled up sleeping with Reggie. Reggie dancing with his mother, Paul throwing batter at Reggie in the kitchen, his parents smiling at each other, kissing while Paul pulled a face in the background. Their father helping Paul feed Turtwig, his mother helping them both groom their pokemon, Reggie curled up asleep beside his father, Paul poking his face with a stick, wearing overly ridiculous sphere costumes, trick or treating, Paul chasing Turtwig for his candy back, opening christmas presents, having christmas dinner, Drew and Gary running with Paul as a drenched Reggie chased them, using their father as a jungle gym, being taught parts of anatomy, their parents wedding, holding their sons as new born babies, their mother in the middle of a routine, Paul in the middle of a routine, Reggie wearing a doctors outfit for take your child to work day, Paul dressed up in a little suit to go to his mothers child work day, laughing together, crying together, grinning together.

Then came the last ones, the ones that made tears come to his eyes. Their parents on autopsy tables, the articles cut out from newspapers describing the day, pictures of their funerals, their caskets, this exact cemetery, Paul and Reggie holding each other as they cried, being lead away by a tall man in a suit, being cuddled by friends and family.

Reggie dropped the clip outs and photos and picked up the letter, his hands shaking. He knew who it was from.

_Hey Mum, Dad._

It was his writing. Reggie swallowed the lump in his throat and had a half mind to put everything back, but the need to keep reading fueled him on.

_I haven't been here for a while. I guess I've just been too angry at you for too many years to even considering coming to visit. It's nice here though isn't it? Calming, relaxing. Much better than the cemeteries in town. Maybe Uncle Hael can read the future and thought that maybe I'd need a place to come and chill out? Because this is definitley it. Surrounded by dead people. I'm joking, but the desertion of this place is so calming an relaxing, and the trees and flowers make it more homely. Even the mountains. And being with you guys really helps._

_Ugh, now I'm just being overly corny. Then again, its not like I didn't inherit from that wonderful father of mine. I still remember Date Day Sundays, where you'd leave at eight in the morning claiming you were doing grocery shopping. The fact you never came back until just after midday and were normally carrying bags of other shops were a huge clue that clearly it wasn't just groceries you were shopping for. Reggie and I used to have little bets in out young and stupid heads about what you'd bring back every sunday._

Reggie smiled at that, his hands loosening on the paper despite it already being crinkled now.

_I don't really know what to say right now. Theres lots I do want to say, really there is, buts its not like I can just come right out and say it. We never were one of those straight to the point type families, always skirting around the edges until we could jump right in._

_I guess I'll say that I'm leaving some things here with this letter. Mum, I'm leaving your necklace here. The nice one you know? With the amethyst. I remember Dad saying he got it for you when Reggie was born to celebrate you being a mother. You never took it off. It was only when Uncle Hael wanted to know if we wanted anything that was on your person when you died that it was removed. I've had it for the past few years, but now that I think about it, it wasn't really mine to take. I thought I'd return it to you now, that and both of your wedding rings. Another thing that was taken off you, but it was Uncle Hael who took them off. He said that in your will you'd stated they were to go to whichever of me and Reggie wanted them. We wanted you to have them, but you were already buried. And Dad's dog tags are here, back from when you were in the army. They've been under my pillow, wherever I was, for the past few years just like Mum's necklace. Theres lots of photos there, and some newspaper clippings. I don't want them anymore, I need a new start._

_And in the container is, well its got some ashes in them. Ashes of Torterra._

Reggie gasped as he looked down at the black container, and he couldn't stop himself from picking it up if he'd tried.

_He died two days ago, from some too lethal injuries. It was Conway. You remember Conway don't you? Well more Senior than anything. But his son, Conway Junior, was determined to get me. He viewed the death of his mother and imprisonment of his father to be my fault, and Dad's, but he felt that vengeance would be to kill the first woman I loved much like Senior tried and succeeded in doing. Like father, like son much. It really does apply here._

_But I fell in love with Dawn, remember her? Dawn Berlitz? If you don't I'll be disappointed. I only used to talk about her everyday. And after we, "copulated", which is awkward to write here because you're my __**parents**__, he began to hunt her down. Long story short, thanks to many different fights all of my pokemon besides Weavile and Froslass are dead. Gone. And it was all my fault. I tried to stop him, I really did, but he was too strong and I hate myself for not having trained hard enough for this._

_He almost killed me. I think I did almost die, according to Gary the heart monitor stopped for a good hour and they couldn't resuscitate me. They'd given up when I woke up. They told me when I woke up that Ursaring… my Ursaring hadn't been as dead as I thought and had managed to behead Conway with a hyper beam, using up the last of his everything. He'd died by the time the others had turned up to help, finding me with Conway's headless body, a knife impaled in my arm from where Conway'd missed when he'd probably been distracted by Ursaring, and Ursaring draped over me. They reckoned he'd been trying to keep me warm or something, but I think I've only ever cried that hard one or two other times in my life._

_Torterra had been in critical care, and it wasn't until I visited him that he died. We talked a lot of things over, well he listened and I talked, but I came to a few realizations._

_I love Dawn, I really do. I always think of her, I want her more than anything else. But I also realised that I can't have her, not if she's not willing. If I proceed to push her into some form of relationship then she might not be happy. She has to come willingly. You may think I'm completely crazy, but maybe if I distance myself then come back she might be happy to be with me. Because there is no way I can let her go without killing myself. _

_Who would've thought I'd be this melodramatic over a woman? Reggie was right, I have changed. _

Reggie bit his lip at the mention of himself, the memory of the note, now a permanent reminder on the coffee table in the lounge, flashing through his mind.

_I don't know where I'll go, maybe I'll follow the route you guys took when you were younger and wished to get away. I don't know anymore. All I do know is that I want to get away, leave everyone behind. Even you guys. Because being this Paul, the Paul that is so much of a wimp, is concerning. I was never like this before and now I am. I want to go back to the old me._

_I don't know how. I've started by putting everything behind me. I took Torterra and the others away from the pokecentre, and I got them cremated. Theres a pinch of Drapion, Ursaring and Electrivire all in the necklace I'm wearing. Its just a hollow black circle, but it has their ashes in there. And Torterra's ashes are in a bracelet, a thick hollow one that matches the necklace. I don't think I'm ever going to take it off. Ever. He was my best friend, I told him everything. He was there for me every step of the way. The rest of the ashes are a mystery. I thought of keeping them at home, but I don't want to let them go just yet. Weavile and Froslass are with me now. I tried to set them free but they refused, so instead we've agreed they're not going back in their balls unless necessary. It gives them the freedom to leave if they want._

_I don't know what the others will do. I can't be around them anymore, not for a while anyway. Did you know Gary and Drew are together? Apparently Gary was crushing on Drew when we were all twelve. But the idiot didn't realise Drew felt the same until they were nineteen. Morons, the both of them. I'm happy they're together. I don't doubt that Drew will take my disappearance hard, and Gary will be there for him. It'll be okay._

_Reggie on the other hand. I don't know about him. I contemplated staying in contact with Reggie but I know he'll understand. I will come back to him one day, I swear on my life that I will. But I can't be around Reggie without wondering why I was the one to have Conway on my ass, why not him? But then I realise how selfish I am and I realise that if this had happened to Reggie not me then I would've wished it had been me. It's a lose lose situation, and it just sucks. _

Reggie reread the paragraph a few times, his lips pursed as he sighed. He had the same thoughts, wondering why Paul and not him but it would've ended up the same way, him wondering why it wasn't Paul. It really was a lose lose situation.

_I miss you guys. A lot. I have dreams about me having to choose between you or the others, death or life. It feels like an odd sense of deja vu, and I just don't understand. Sometimes I'll go to pick you, wanting to just be in your arms again and told everything is going to be alright. But as soon as I do I just can't. I think about Reggie and how alone he'll be without me. I mean, yes I'm going away now, but at least I'm here. At least I'm alive. At least I know that I will see him again. Every time I do choose them though all I feel is pain, blinding pain and then I'm awake and screaming and Drew is there trying and failing to calm me down. Its hell and I don't understand. Sometimes I swear I see Mew of all pokemon, and I know I'm completely crazy. _

_If it was real, if that was all something that happened, sometimes I wish I'd picked you. I really do. I want and need you right now, to help me, to guide me. I can practically hear you telling me to just go and be happy, but I-_

The sentence just cut off, unfinished. And Reggie bit his lip at the way it seemed even Paul didn't know his own thoughts.

_I'll be back in a year max. At least to see Reggie, just so he knows he's not alone. I don't want my brother believing himself to be alone. He'll never be alone. Hell, I'll never be alone no matter how hard I try._

_I love you, both of you. And I wish for you to be alive so much that my heart aches and my voice breaks when I try to talk of you. But I know its not ever going to happen, that I doubt we will meet again for a long time. I'm leaving your things behind because I don't want the memories of you holding me back, I need to accept you're gone. And now Conway's dead-_

_TTFN Mum, Dad. _

Reggie's composure broke at the end, his fingers trailing over the TTFN, something his father used to say all the time.

Ta ta for now.

…

"You guys sure you want to come with me? It's a long way from home."

The hard stares he received in return for his concern made him sigh and turn back to the lady in the ticket booth, her lips pursed and horrible glasses perched on the tip of her nose. Paul had to fight back the urge to reach over and shove them up her face, it was annoying him that much. One of her eyebrows rose up in question and Paul had to force a smile.

"One for me, and two for the pokemon," he stated, hands digging around in his pockets already for the money.

"Where to?" Her voice sounded like one of those hardened old battle-ax women who smoked to much, it was more of a rasp than anything else.

"Kanto region please."

She appraised him, eyes flickering up and down him in a judgmental stare. He bit back an angry remark and instead forced himself to remain completely pleasant and keep smiling. Without even telling him the cost, she just held out her hand, all claw like and pigmented Paul noted with disgust, for the money before handing him the tickets and change.

"It leaves in three hours," she snapped shortly, obviously not interested in him at all anymore. "Be there twenty minutes early for boarding."

It was clear he was being dismissed by the way she turned her back to him. He sucked in some of his cheek between his teeth and chewed it so as to stop himself from snarking at her, and luckily he was able to walk out of earshot before bitching to his pokemon.

"BItch. She's a ticket seller, not a bloody mortician. She could at least pretend to be happy."

Weavile and Froslass shot him sympathetic looks before wandering out in front of him, both taking in the sight of Twinleaf town. It'd been a while since they'd come here, and a few of this things had changed. For example, Weavile couldn't get over the new cobblestone paths lining the streets. With a small sigh, Paul shoved the tickets into his pocket before sinking his hands in after them and dropping his head, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He followed his pokemon down a few streets, pausing a few times to have a better look at something and once to buy some food from a nearby vender. He genuinely smiled at Weavile and Froslass' excitement over receiving lollipops for pokemon, and he chewed on his own quietly as he watched them compare theirs, once ripping his out of his mouth for a lick.

They'd forced him to eat the rest afterwards.

An hour into their little exploration, they stopped at the harbor to watch the sun go down, sitting on a park bench with Paul in the middle and his two pokemon curled up on either side. They'd turn into children really, both of them still injured and relying on him, but now it was more of a father child relationship than the original master pokemon they'd had. It was proven more so when Weavile politely asked for a story, and Paul recalled the story of Beauty and the Beast, a story his mother constantly read to him and his brother after her. The two fell asleep at separate times, Weavile almost straight away and Froslass soon after, but only after she lightly tapped the thick bracelet on Paul's right arm and the necklace around his neck. Her way of saying goodnight.

Another hour passed slowly, the lights starting to come on above him as he sat with his slumbering pokemon. He would have to wake them up to go on the ship, knowing that they'd hate it if he put them in their pokeballs.

"Paul?"

He jumped at hearing his name, cursing whoever it was as he slowly rotated his head to look at however it was. His eyes widened upon seeing someone who looked like an older version of Dawn staring at him with an open mouth and wide eyes.

"Johanna?"

A huge smile broke out on the woman's face and she was suddenly rushing over to him, slowing down briefly upon seeing the sleeping pokemon, before she was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"Where have you been! Everyone's been worried about you! Come on! You can come stay at my place, they're going to be here in a couple of days! Dawn is catching a train with Ash and the others-"

"Johanna, please," Paul interrupted, feeling bad as he stood up and jostled his pokemon. Thankfully neither woke up and made sure to rest them against one another before looking back at the woman, raising an eyebrow at her proud and wondering expression.

"You're a good master to them."

"I'm their friend now, not their master. It's their choice to stay, not mine," he corrected, seeing her raised eyebrow but he plowed on. "Johanna, you can't tell them I was here. No one can know."

"But why not?"

He laughed, and she could obviously hear the bitter undertones in it with the way she flinched. "Because I need to get away for a bit. Things just need to settle-"

"Things?"

"I know Dawn would've told you.

She smiled at him, "I know, she has. But I wanted to hear it from you."

He nodded before he crossed his arms, turning to look out over the harbor. He didn't say anything in reply, knowing she would get the hint. And by the way she sighed and lightly touched his arm made him understand that she had.

"I think they're all worried, Paul. I don't know why, you're a strong and capable person and I know you can look after yourself. But don't punish them in the process of punishing yourself." She smiled and stunned him when she stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "You don't need to punish yourself for anything, let alone something that was not your fault."

"But-"

"You know she used to talk about you all the time. About the young boy she was determined to be friends with, and eventually marry. All those letters she sent, they were her baring her soul to you. She was convinced that her relationship would be a whirlwind romance, and even when you never replied she convinced herself it was because you couldn't. Some person was restricting you from doing so. I never had the heart to tell her otherwise." She smiled at him again, reaching up to touch his cheek. "When you first saw each other again… She did recognize you, Paul. Just not the real you."

He couldn't say anything, his mouth refusing to open as he stared at her. Johanna smiled again and kissed his forehead, pulling him down slightly to do so, before turning around and walking away.

"Weavile? We?"

"Fros?"

The small calls of his pokemon made him tear his eyes away from the retreating woman and he was instantly by their sides. The way they looked at him, curious and concerned, made him realised they'd heard it all and he sighed. His eyes slid closed, thinking about what Johanna had said about her daughter and a fleeting thought passed through his mind of… really? She had recognized him? He bit hit lip, his mind running rampant before he exhaled and stood up.

"Come on, we've got a ship to catch."

* * *

**I LIED! THERE IS ONE MORE CHAPTER! THE EPILOGUE!**

Don't hate me? I love you all?

**YOU ARE THE REASON I KEEP WRITING!**

**Also, I wrote this all in one sitting (So its probably shit) and I'm halfway through the last chapter. It should be done and uploaded next week :D**

I'm tearing up just thinking about it.


	30. Chapter 30

**Last chapter. Ever. Oh my. Gonna go sit in the corner and cry now.**

* * *

_A Year Later..._

"Professor? Should Bulbasaur be sleeping right now?"

"Yes, Ash has just sent him back after a battle, apparently he didn't do too well against the Infernape Ash put him up against."

Paul muttered a quiet 'idiot' under his voice as he reached out and nudged the pokemon, concern laced through his being. He glanced up quickly to see if Professor Oak was okay with him touching the pokemon before all out grabbing Bulbasaur and lifting him up into his arms, smiling as he nuzzled into his chest.

"He's pretty adorable," he commented as he grinned at the Professor who just shook his head and smiled before turning to continue tending to the other pokemon littered around the hill. Paul glanced around too, his lips pursed as he tried to find a place to put Bulbasaur down where he'd be comfortable and with a small "aha!" he jogged over to a small pile of hay and nestled Bulbasaur into it.

He grinned as the pokemon whined at the lack of contact when he pulled away.

"Sssh buddy, you're alright," he soothed before standing up and joining Professor Oak again, grinning up at the older man as he reached out and ruffled Paul's hair.

"Ready for a break? I think Weavile and Froslass are getting annoyed at the lack of contact," the Professor chuckled, smiling back kindly before leading Paul over to a small set of table and chairs that were set out. Perched up on the table waiting for them were the mentioned pokemon and as soon as he'd sat down Weavile scrambled into his lap and Froslass nudged against his hand wanting a pat. He smiled softly at his pokemon, trying not to look at the Professor as he watched them.

They lapsed into silence, the only sound being the clinking of tea cups as Professor Oak poured them some and the occasional growl or acknowledgement of a passing pokemon. It really was like some sort of community here in Professor Oak's lab, a community of pokemon. Paul even smiled when he saw the two Ralts and Ash's Bayleef settle down beside Bulbasaur, eye them all in a challenging way and Bayleef looked like she was trying to threaten a curious Rhydon.

"You know, I don't understand why you don't catch some more pokemon Paul. It's clear you love them, and the way you treat Weavile and Froslass is a big show of how much of a wonderful trainer you are."

His simple observation left Paul nervous, flinching slightly in his seat as the words sunk in before he tore his eyes away from the pokemon and all but glared at the ground.

"You should know Professor, I'm a terrible trainer. I killed my other pokemon," he mumbled out, automatically brushing his fingers over his bracelet and clutching his necklace. "I don't think I'm worthy of anymore."

"Nonsense. You're brilliant Paul, a worthy trainer. Why else have Weavile and Froslass stayed around so long?" Professor Oak gave him a kind smile, one that made Paul feel warm on the inside. "It's about time you considered reliving some form of your life Paul. You've been away from everyone for too long and you've separated yourself from your… from your life! I know you're mourning, and I know that you are trying to solve things in your head, find yourself, but running away and pushing things to the side never help."

Paul just remained quiet, allowing the words to sink in. He respected Professor Oak, the man was almost a grandfather to him, and he slowly smiled again, nodding in his direction.

"I thought of maybe going back to Reggie, helping him with caring for pokemon," he started after a while, shooting a glance over at the Professor and holding back a blush at the sudden proud grin that was on the older mans face. "I mean, I promised myself that I'd go see him after a year and I'm not ready for training yet. But maybe looking after pokemon I can let go, that I don't have full responsibility over, might be good."

"Baby steps."

"Yeah, baby steps."

"Do you think you'll consider seeing the others again? Soon? I know that Gary and Drew miss you, Gary talks about you a lot when he visits." Professor Oak sighed and turned away to look back out at the pokemon. "I mean, you should stop punishing the others in the process of punishing yourself."

"What makes you think I'm punishing myself?"

"Please Paul, you all but reek of guilt and regret. Its obvious that you still blame yourself, and I don't doubt that you will for a long time." Professor Oak stood up and smiled, his eyes gentle and kind. "And there is no problem with that, its natural. One day you'll wake up and realise it isn't, but that might be a long long time away. But you can't keep punishing the others."

Paul just looked at him with a look of both discomfort and alarm, clearly shocked at what he'd said. Professor Oak merely smiled in his direction and sipped his tea, closing his eyes as he swallowed. Paul frowned at him, a little bit curious as to what was going through his head and was about to ask, god knows why, he just wanted the silence stretching between them to be over.

"I'd prepare myself Paul, you're about to find out just why ignoring your friends isn't good."

He wasn't able to answer before a large ball of green slammed into him, sending him flying out of the chair as they hit the ground. His chest instantly felt like it was caving in, the weight of the person on top of him crushing his torso and it wasn't until his head stopped buzzing from pain after slamming it against the ground did he realise the person on top was sobbing his name over and over in a familiar voice.

"D-Drew?" he stuttered, awkwardly reaching out the arm that wasn't pinned to push him back a bit and was rewarded by a pair of bloodshot, tear-filled green eyes staring back at him.

"Paul! Paul, oh god! Where have you… where have you been! I've… we've been so worried and-"

He suddenly cut himself off and surprised Paul as he threw a punch at the other, smashing him right in the cheekbone before he was standing up and glaring down at Paul.

"You insufferable asshole!" he screamed, and Paul had to blink many times to try get his eyesight back from where Drew's knuckle had clipped his eyeball. "How fucking dare you just leave and not tell us where you went! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Do you? I fucking cried for you Paul! I was terrified you'd gone off to kill yourself and weren't ever coming back! Fuck you!"

"Drew, stop it."

Both Drew and Paul turned their attention to the two Oaks, Professor and Gary as they stood side by side, both having spoken at the same time and Gary moved forward to put a hand on Drew's shoulder before reaching around to pull Paul to his feet. He offered his friend a small forced smile as he checked him over briefly, his eyes running over him and lingering on the bruise already forming.

"I'd hit you too, but I think Drew's already done a pretty good job," Gary joked before he stepped forward and hugged Paul, surprising the purple haired boy by burying his face in his shoulder. "Fuck Paul, where the hell did you go."

"Gary… I…"

"Don't try and wheedle your way out of this," Drew said as he also stepped forward again and, being shorter than the other two, wriggled his way in between their chests, his cheeks pressed against them both. Paul couldn't stop the affectionate smile appearing on his face before he was hugging them tightly, the overwhelming need to just touch them so extreme, the realisation of how much he'd actually missed this a stunning slap to the face.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered into Drew's hair, feeling Gary's cheek beside his and ear right by his nose. He felt them both stiffen slightly before Gary nodded and Drew's arms tightened around them.

"Don't think I'm forgiving you anytime soon," Drew mumbled as they pulled back and he gently reached up to cup Paul's cheek, his watery eyes searching Paul's before he leant in and kissed the already forming bruise. "I refuse to be sorry about that, but I have to admit I didn't expect it to be that bad."

Paul laughed and dragged his cousin into a one armed hug. "Always underestimate yourself don't you? Idiot."

Gary smiled at them fondly, his arms crossing over his chest. Drew looked up at him, his eyes wide and a happy smile taking over his face before he wandered over to sink into Gary's embrace, and for a brief moment Paul saw something in the sudden almost desperate touch that he vaguely recognised as… reconciliation.

Confusion swept over him, and he opened his mouth just as a new voice brushed over the clearing they were standing in.

"Paul."

Instantly he froze, his body trembling as he slowly turned to see none other than Dawn standing there, her arms buried in the pockets of a familiar red coat, her face one of indifference but Paul could see the small spark of acknowledgement in her eyes as she appraised him. His mouth opened, then snapped shut before suddenly he was taking a step forward and trying to force words out.

Nothing came.

He glanced briefly at Gary, wondering with desperate eyes if the other could help him, try and voice the words he longed to speak. He saw Drew bristle, stepping forward with his eyes locked on Dawn but Gary was suddenly reaching out and grabbing his hand, tugging him back as if to reality.

"We're gonna go back up to the house," Gary began, his arm going up and sliding around Drew's shoulders, pulling him away as he flicked a small smile in Paul's direction, some sort of encouragement. "We're not as important right now."

He began to walk off with his significant other, already murmuring things under his breath to calm the other down. But he was yanked back by a sudden hand on his wrist and soon both Gary and Paul were staring at each other, their eyes secured in a tight lock.

"You are important Gary, always." And Gary's eyes teared up at hearing that from his friend, the one he'd missed for so long. Paul himself had the urge to step forward and hug the other again but Gary just nodded his head and slid his hand down to squeeze Paul's before walking away, back up the hill in a tired and almost defeated stagger.

"That was nice of you."

He slowly turned back to look at her, appraising her himself. She looked the same, not that a year could change one much, but he saw the weariness in her stance, he could see her hands balled into fists as they stretched the material of the pockets they were situated in. He resisted the urge to gnaw on his lip, his gaze focused completely on her. Vaguely, in the back of his head, he wondered where Weavile, Froslass and Professor Oak had gone, but he shrugged them off as he waited patiently for Dawn to speak again.

"They almost broke up you know," she suddenly said, tearing her own gaze from him to look up at the hill at the retreating figures. "Your disappearance almost tore them apart. Drew was a mess, he blamed it on himself for a long time. And Gary just couldn't pull him out of it, it just wore him down." Her eyes were hard as she glared at him. "He had a breakdown right in front of us. Drew couldn't handle it and broke even more. It was horrible. They then yelled and blamed each other and refused to acknowledge the other existed for weeks afterwards." She smiled sadly, her hands coming out to push her hair behind her ears, something Paul's fingers itched to do themselves. "This is the first time they've actually touched each other in more than just a hand on the shoulder in months, too many months to count."

"Why are you here?"

She looked stunned, and he admit he felt like shit. There she was explaining that he had almost destroyed his cousin and friend, and the only thing on his mind was why they were there?

"Why are we here? Because Professor Oak couldn't take it anymore," she hissed, her hands fists again as she glared at him, but there was no true anger Paul noted. "He couldn't take seeing his grandson fall apart. He called us and told us you were here, and we couldn't have stopped Gary and Drew if we tried. So we came, Ash, Brock and Misty too. They're at Ash's mothers." Her gaze softened as she looked away before glancing back up, eyes tarrying on his bruised cheek before meeting his own eyes.

Paul let out a breath as if punched when her soulful blue eyes met his, filled with so many emotions ranging from anger to… understanding that made his head hurt trying to keep up.

"They missed you enough that it broke them."

Paul winced at the bitterness he heard in her voice, a small humorless smile playing on his lips before he turned to look at Dawn, flinching slightly at the harsh glare sent his way. A million thoughts ran through his mind, thousands of excuses, hundreds of explanations, and only one single torrent of feelings as they coursed over him and flooded his mind. He opened his mouth, one of the many thoughts about to tumble out, but he was suddenly cut off as she stepped forward and placed a small hand, he'd never realised how small they were, on his chest, her fingers splaying out before tightening into an almost claw.

"I missed you."

And like that they were tightly embracing, Dawn's head coming to rest by her hand whilst her other arm looped around Paul's waist as his own came up to bury in her hair and wrap around her hips. He drew her close, closing his eyes and burying his nose in her hair, breathing in the wonderful strawberry scent she was so fond of, enjoying the softness as it tickled his face, biting back small tears as he thought how wonderful, just _wonderful_ it was to have her back in his arms despite the anger she must feel towards him.

"I'm sorry Dawn," he whispered, his body trembling once before he choked out the words again. "I am so sor-"

"Don't." She drew back, looking up at him with a harsh yet slightly compassionate look. "Don't say sorry. You did what you had to do. I didn't understand for a while, a long while and I was so mad at you Paul, but I'm not now."

"I left you, you had a reason to hate me. I left you after all of that _crap _and-"

"I talked to my mother," she interrupted again, reaching up to cup his mouth and felt it instantly shut behind her hand. "She told me what you said when she saw you. I know you told her not to tell anyone, but she snapped after six months. Its a long time to keep a secret around a daughter who's mourning the person she knew naught about his whereabouts." She felt his mouth open again but she shook her head, tightening her grip. "It made sense I guess, what she told me. How you seemed so lost and alone. She told me about what she said to you, about when we first meet again after so many years. And then Reggie told me more." She paused and smiled at him, her lips curving up gracefully. "I did recognize you when we met again. I recognized you as Paul Shinji Hayden-Lopez, but I didn't know who you were. We never did stay much in contact, you knew me but I didn't know you, and to see you as someone else who wasn't a sweet innocent little boy who was determined to marry me was… was shocking. I didn't know what to say, what to do, I didn't know if you even knew who I was. Especially when you began to call me Troublesome."

Dawn stopped, seeing the way Paul's eyes slid shut and his hands began to fall from her lower back as his shoulders slumped. He was beating himself up again, she knew it. Instantly she leaned in and hugged him, her own eyes closing as she squeezed him tight.

"I still want to marry you, you know."

He froze, she smiled.

"What happened?"

Paul knew what she was asking, knew what she wanted to know. He refused to let go of her as he pulled back and looked down at her with the most vulnerable expression before he was opening his mouth and words were tumbling out. He told her everything, how he came to Kanto thinking it was far away enough. How he moved to the Johto and Hoenn every time he became aware of them being in the same region. He told her of Weavile and Froslass, their dedication to him and the way they were more closer now than before. He showed her the jewelry he wore, explained the significance and he watched with bated breath as she lightly kissed the necklace and then the bracelet, whispering a thank you to the pokemon inside for protecting her and Paul. He told her of his experiences, how he went to every corner of every region, how he ran into people he knew from his old travels, into pokemon so rare he was stunned speechless every time. He told her how he would try to do things for people he didn't know, how he would help small villages he stumbled across, how he would just _try_ to be _good_. He mumbled through stories and realizations, he told her about the nightmares he suffered from, the dreams he'd have of everything being normal, the way his pokemon would curl beside him and lull him to sleep every night, how they would try to starve off all possible horrors yearning to find him. And when he struggled to stand as everything rushed out of him she simply guided him to the ground and watched him with doe eyes as he told his story.

"Then Professor Oak took you in?" she whispered when he trailed off at the end, his gaze locked on the nearby pokemon as they settled down to sleep, the sun setting in the distance.

"Only for the past few weeks. He refused to lie to Gary if he called and asked if he'd seen me. I was due to leave today, this evening actually." He gave her a smile. "Guess that's not happening now."

"Damn right," she almost snarled as she glared at him. "You're not running away, not again. I might be forgiving this time, but I swear I won't be if it happens again. There's no need to keep away Paul, not now, not that Conway's gone, not that anything can stop you or hunt you down or just stop you from being _you_." She touched his cheek, a smile bright on her face. "Come home Paul, come home."

He looked at her long and hard, his gaze wandering over her every feature, the long blue tresses he yearned to run his fingers through, the large blue eyes so filled with life, the long eyelashes and delicate eyebrows, the full lips that were pulled up into an innocent smile. His fingers twitched in anticipation, wanting to reach out and touch her, but he fought it back as he stood.

"Alright," he finally mumbled, throwing her a cautious smile that was eagerly returned. He watched as she moved forward, her hands coming out and he couldn't stop himself from turning away and beginning to walk back up the hill.

Stupid stupid stupid!

"That's it?"

Her voice sounded rough and angry, and Paul turned to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, eyebrow raised, pursing lips. He swallowed quietly before locking eyes and stepping forward.

"What else Dawn? I will come home, I made a promise to go see Reggie in a years time. The fact you will be there too is a bonus, but what else do you want? What do you want from me?" He stepped forward again so they were almost touching, his breath quickening as he did so. "I hurt you many times before, many times and I hardly doubt you to forgive me-"

"Don't blame yourself."

"I'm... I'm simply pointing out the facts. Yes, it was because of Conway that my actions were harsh, but I still did it, I still lied and caused pain."

He stopped when she stepped forward as well, her hands coming up to rest on his cheeks. "Paul, nobody is perfect," she whispered as she pulled him down slowly. "I told you I wanted to marry you didn't I? Despite it being so fast? We made promises Paul. I plan on keeping that promise."

"But-"

"I love you."

He fell silent, completely shocked and he saw the flicker of a smug smile appear on her face before she tugged him down and slammed their lips together, eyes sliding shut and hands clutching his face tightly. He foundered for a long moment, mouth trying to form words but the sudden noise of impatience from Dawn made him stop and fully relax, his arms sliding around her waist.

And then he was kissing back ferociously, almost bending her in half in a dip as he deepened the kiss quickly, wanting to taste Dawn, wanting to taste the strawberries she seemed to be made of, wanting to inhale the sweet aroma as her body wrapped around his, wanting to feel her pressed against him and never _ever _let go. His whole world finished falling apart right then as he kissed her, kissed Dawn, but a new world, one that smelled and tasted like strawberries, that was a unique shade of blues and pinks, was more annoying than anything else and utterly perfected in every way was revealed underneath the cracked remains.

"You know that not everything can end in a happily ever after right?" he whispered when they pulled away, both grinning madly, both panting heavily as they leaned their foreheads together.

"We'll just have to make one then, won't we?"

He couldn't help but laugh as he kissed her again, hearing her giggle and his heart melted into one, no longer separated by pain and guilt but pulled together by love. Everything dark fell away, everything new came together in a bright spark.

And in that moment Paul felt something he hadn't felt in years.

Paul felt Lucky.

* * *

**So it ends.**

**It took me a long time to actually buck up the courage and post this, I mean Lucky has been a huge pain in my ass most the time and I really hate the first few chapters, but I'm still really attached to it. It's been my 'baby' for over a year, almost two. Its sad to see it go. **

**There will be no sequel unfortunately. I think this is the end of their story. Lets say they lived happily ever after and had lots of children who were lovingly doted on by their Uncles Drew and Gary. Yep.**

**I'd like to thank you all for reading this, it is so lovely that you all hung on despite my horrific ability to update on time. I really need to work on that. I'd thank you all individually, but holy shit that'd take a long time.**

**I GIVE YOU ALL COOKIES AS THANKS!**

**But most importantly I'd love to thank Starfire1407, you are amazing. I'm really glad I met you, because sheeeet gurrrl! You da bomb! Or some crap like that XD**

**And xotennisloverxo, you're amazing. Like literally amazing. Thats all I can say, just don't ever stop being amazing.  
**

**ARGH! So sad for this to end! Don't stop!**

**But seriously, thank you guys so much. **

**TTFN!**

**_PS. In case you are interested in Drew/Gary's backstory on how they got together, go look for "Messages in the Sand" by me. First story ever for that couple on here! Woot!_**


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